Photo: Medhi jyoti · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Westbengal · Breakfast

Chirer Pulao

Traditional 5. Chirer Pulao recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 2 cups flattened rice (chire), lightly soaked for 5 mins then drained
• 3 tbsp mustard oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2-3 green chillies, slit
• 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (carrots diced small, peas, potatoes diced small)
• 100g cauliflower, small florets
• 2 tbsp raw peanuts or cashews, halved
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Bengali garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp ghee for finish
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste

👩‍🍳 How to make Chirer Pulao

1. Soak flattened rice (5 mins, room temp): Rinse in water, drain immediately. Rice should soften but not become mushy—grains still firm to touch.
2. Heat fat (2 mins, high): Oil should shimmer and smell toasted (at 325°F). This is crucial for Bengal flavor.
3. Temper whole spices (1 min, high): Add cumin seeds (crackle within 3 secs), bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. Each spice releases aroma—cinnamon sweet, cloves sharp, cardamom floral.
4. Add ginger-garlic (1 min, medium): Stir in paste, cook until raw smell gone.
5. Fry vegetables (3 mins, medium-high): Add diced carrots, peas, potatoes, cauliflower. Stir constantly. Vegetables should soften slightly but remain firm—15 mins total cooking prevents mush.
6. Toast nuts and raisins (1 min, medium): Add peanuts/cashews and raisins. Nuts toast to light brown, raisins plump slightly.
7. Add spice powders (1 min, medium): Dust turmeric and garam masala. Stir for 60 secs—raw spice smell converts to toasted aroma.
8. Mix in flattened rice (2 mins, medium): Add drained chire, stir gently but thoroughly. Each grain should coat with oil and spices.
9. Add sugar (30 secs, medium): Sprinkle sugar, mix through. Gentle sweetness balances savory vegetables.
10. Cover and rest (5 mins, low): Lower heat to lowest setting, cover pan with lid. Let sit undisturbed—flattened rice absorbs steam and spice oil.
11. Finish with ghee (1 min, low): Drizzle 1 tbsp ghee over top, fold in gently with fork.

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