Mixed Veggies Pilau & Shredded Meat

 Mixed Veggies Pilau & Shredded Meat 

 Mixed Veggies Pilau & Shredded Meat 

INGREDIENTS

300gm rice (1 and a half cups), washed 2-3 times then soaked for half an hour.

On a small saucer, keep these spices ready:

1 level tbsp. whole cumin
½ tsp. whole pepper
2 sticks of cinnamon
2 cloves
2 cardamom

Also, you will need:

½ cup shredded boiled meat (I used lamb)
2 onions, chopped
½ tsp. turmeric powder
½ tsp. cumin/coriander powder
½ tsp. freshly ground roasted cumin powder
2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. oil
½ tsp. garlic paste
a bit of chopped coriander
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
¾ cup half-boiled mixed vegetables (I used a combination of peas, carrots, sweet corn and capsicum)
1 green chilli, chopped finely
water or stock, warm (for every cup of rice, you will need 1 and quarter cups of water)

TIP: Boil the meat in water with a bit of salt and pepper powder, garlic and ginger paste until tender, then drain and shred. Use the leftover stock/soup to cook your pilau with. You can adjust the deficit with water if needed.

INSTRUCTIONS

Take a pan and put it on your stove. Remember that the rice will double after cooking and the meat, veggies and potatoes will go in there too so you will need to have enough space in the pan. Turn on the heat and once the pan is hot, add the oil and butter.

Then add the spices you had placed on the saucer. Cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, cloves.

Once they splutter in the oil, add your chopped onions. Fry them until they are translucent, stirring with a wooden spoon. Then add the turmeric and cumin/coriander powder.

Let these fry for a few minutes, then add the garlic paste and potato cubes. Fry together for a couple of minutes, then add the shredded meat and veggies. Stir for a couple of minutes then add the stock/water and some salt. Let the stock simmer and taste for the salt. You should be able to feel the saltiness. If it feels just right, it means you have too little. Remember that the rice will need some salt too, so let the salt be enough that you can taste it to be a bit more than you would want. Not too much of course!

As soon as the the water starts boiling, drain your rice (which should have been pre-soaked for about half an hour) and add this rice to the stock. Sprinkle a bit of coriander on this, and stir a little. Let this cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring now and then, then reduce the heat to medium and keep cooking it whilst covered until the water diminishes, giving it a stir every now and then to make sure all the rice is cooked evenly and perfectly.

When you find there is very little water left in the rice, reduce the heat to the lowest point possible. Seal your pan by using a tight lid or wetting a kitchen towel and placing it over the pan then placing a lid on top of it.

Leave the rice to continue steaming on very low heat for a good 10 mins. Switch off, and serve with accompaniments of your choice!

Sources by fauzia kitchen fun