Beef pulao

 Beef pulao is a delicious and aromatic rice dish made with tender pieces of beef and fragrant spices. Here's a simple recipe to make beef pulao:

Ingredients:

For Marinating Beef:

• 500 grams of boneless beef, cut into cubes
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

For the Pulao:

• 2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 2-3 cloves
• 2-3 green cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
• Salt to taste
• Water

Instructions:

Marinate the Beef:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
• Add the beef cubes to the marinade and mix well to coat the meat. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer if possible.

Cook the Rice:

• In a large pot, bring enough water to a boil and add a bit of salt. Add the soaked and drained basmati rice.
• Boil the rice until it's about 70-80% cooked (it should still have a slight bite to it). Drain the rice and set it aside.

Prepare the Pulao:

• Heat oil or ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker.
• Add the cloves, green cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cumin seeds. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
• Add the sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
• Add the marinated beef and cook until it changes color and the yogurt mixture thickens.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies, garam masala powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil begins to separate.
• Add the partially cooked rice to the pot and gently mix everything together. Be careful not to break the rice grains.
• Add enough water to cover the rice by about an inch. You can use the same water that you boiled the rice in or use fresh water.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and the meat is tender.
• If you're using a pressure cooker, cook for about 1-2 whistles on low heat.

Serve:

• Once the beef pulao is ready, fluff the rice gently with a fork.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with raita (yogurt side dish) or a salad.

Enjoy your homemade beef pulao!