Pakistan – Degi Pulao / Pilaf

by Dahiza Umar

INTRODUCTION TO THE DISH

This dish is the famous recipe of old ages of the time, it is included in many cuisines like Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. This is the rice recipe in which the meat of any kind like mutton, beef, chicken and even in vegetables this dish is made when the stock of the main ingredients is made by adding the traditional spices, like cumin, coriander, red whole chilies etc. When meat is cooked by adding alots of water and some spices on low heat this infuses the flavors of the meat into the water and a yummy aromatic stock is made now the rice is added with some masala ingredients and than cooked on DUM, low heat.

WHAT IS DEG AND WHY THIS PULAO KNOWN AS DEGI PULAO?

Deg is the large, huge utensil in which food is made when there is gathering, many get together like 100 of people and on wedding so this dish is made on huge cooking pot when cooks like from outside come to made this dish on a large pot the flavor is totally different when cooked at home, I don’t know what is the fact but the flavors are so delicious and traditional and yummy.

This is the huge pot to cook dishes like korma, pulao, biryani dishes of traditional aspect like flavors and amazing texture is given by first of all is DEG and than when cook on fire, The flavors of wood is so aromatic and woody to give the aroma to the dish is unconditional.

HISTORY

This recipe is the dish of old ages when AFGHAN comes across the border in Indian subcontinent for trading and introduce the dish PILAF to the king of that time of MUGHAL’s Empire so the orders have passed to the royal cooks to made this dish according to the flavors of the royal taste, their cook invented this dish and from that era before division this dish is made on royal dinner and after evolution of the recipe this dish from home to home and than after division, this dish included in the national cuisine of the Pakistan, India and even in Bangladesh.

TIME REQUIRED

• Preparation time : 20 minutes
• Cooking time : 40 minutes
• Total time : 1 hour

NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS

• Carbohydrates : 148 calories
• Protein : 22 calories
• Fats : 60 calories
• Total calories : 240

INGREDIENTS

• Mutton : 1 kilogram
• Rice : 1 kilogram
• Onions : 3 large
• Tomatoes : 6 large
• Yogurt : 1 cup
• Garlic paste : 4 tbsp
• Ginger paste : 4 tbsp
• Green chilies : 8
• Salt : 1 tbsp
• oil : 1 cup
• Black pepper : 2 tbsp
• Garam masala : 1 tbsp
• Whole black pepper cones : 1 tsp
• Star anise : 1
• Bay leaves : 2
• Cinnamon stick : 2
• Whole cumin seeds : 3 tbsp
• Whole coriander seeds : 4 tbsp
• Fennel seeds : 4 tbsp
• Crushed red chilies : 1 tbsp
• Cumin powder : 1 tsp
• Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
• Mint leaves : 2 tbsp
• Fresh green coriander : 2 tbsp

METHOD OF COOKING

• Take a large cooking pot and add 12 glass of water with mutton, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, garlic past half like 2 tbsp and ginger paste half, 2 tbsp and let it cook for 20 minutes on pressure cooker if you are not using pressure cooker, than cook on low heat and it take about 2 hours to cook to make the stock more flavorful and juicy.
• Now on the other vessel add sliced onion with oil and cook until the color of onions turned to golden brown than add garlic ginger paste and stir it little bit.
• Now add slices tomatoes and low the heat of the flame so the juices of the tomatoes infuses and the softened it.
• Its time to add all the dry ingredients and stir it for a while and set aside until the stock is ready
• When stock is ready add the stock with mutton in the vegetables masala and than add sokaed rice and cooked it until all the water dried out.
• Let it cook for 20 minutes on low heat like dum style.
• Dish is ready served it with mint, coriander and chilies on the top.
• ENJOY!

CUISINE : ASIAN, PAKISTANI

COURSE : MAIN DISH

SERVINGS : 5 PERSON