This is my Mother-in-law's recipe and I distinctly remember overeating when she made it for me the first time! As tasty as a Biryani (special-ocassion rice and meat or veg dish) but far simpler and quicker to prepare. Try it, you will defnitely like it! Green Chicken Pulao is best made in a pressure cooker.
Ingredients:
- 1kg chicken pieces of your choice
- 1 large bay leaf
- A pinch of turmeric
- 1 large bunch coriander, roots and thick stems removed
- 1 large bunch mint, roots and thick stems removed
- 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
- 3 cloves
- 3 large onions sliced thin
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tsps ginger paste
- 2 cups coconut milk (approx)
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- Salt to taste
- Chopped fresh coriander to garnish
- Lime/ lemon wedges to squeeze over Pulao and garnish
Preparation:
- Wash and then grind the coriander and mint leaves together in a food processor to get a smooth paste. Add as little water as possible to do this.
- Cook the chicken with 2 cups of water, salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric till tender. This is quickest when done in a pressure cooker.
- When cooked, remove from the pressure cooker and keep the stock from the chicken aside.
- Heat the oil in the pressure cooker, add the cloves and then the sliced onions. Fry onions till soft.
- Add the ginger, garlic pastes and the mint-coriander paste. Stir and fry for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and stock. The correct ratio is one cup of rice to 1 cup of stock and 1 cup of coconut milk. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add salt to taste, the meat and rice.
- Close the pressure cooker and cook on high till the first steam release (whistle). Reduce to a simmer and cook till another steam release/whistle.
- Release steam and open pressure cooker.
- Spoon onto plates, garnish with the chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime/lemon and serve.
