Authentic Parsi Pallonji Berry pulao
A fragrant and celebratory Parsi rice dish featuring tender spiced mutton, caramelized onions, and tart imported Iranian Zereshk berries. Infused with pure saffron and ghee, this aromatic masterpiece balances sweet, savory, and tangy notes seamlessly.
75min
Total Time
4
Servings
Parsi
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Marinate the mutton pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt for at least 1 hour.
2
Boil soaked basmati rice in a large pot of salted water with whole spices until it is 70-80% cooked, then drain and set aside.
3
Heat half the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot and fry half of the sliced onions until deeply golden and crisp; remove and drain on paper towels for garnish.
4
In the remaining ghee, add the marinated mutton and cook on medium heat until the meat is tender and the oil separates from the masala.
5
In a small pan, sauté the dried barberries in a teaspoon of ghee with sugar for a minute until they plump up, then set aside.
6
In the large heavy-bottomed pot, layer half of the partially cooked basmati rice at the bottom.
7
Spread the cooked mutton masala evenly over the rice layer.
8
Cover with the remaining basmati rice, then drizzle with warm saffron milk and the remaining ghee.
9
Top with the caramelized onions and plumped barberries, seal the pot tightly with a tight-fitting lid or foil, and cook on low dum heat for 20 minutes.
10
Gently fluff the pulao before serving warm, ensuring each serving gets a mix of the fragrant rice, spiced meat, and tangy barberries.
Ingredients
500g boneless mutton pieces, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 cups aged basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
1 cup dried barberries (zereshk), rinsed and drained
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp red chili powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1/2 cup ghee
1 pinch saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
Whole spices (2 black cardamoms, 4 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf)
Salt to taste
Fresh mint and cilantro leaves for garnish
2 tbsp sugar (to balance the tartness of barberries)
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.