Mishti Polao...!! Traditional Bengali Sweet Polao...!!

Since the day I have entered inside the kitchen, after my marriage, there is only one person who is always there to teach me ..to instruct me...!! Thanks to the Modern Technologies that these days even the most home sick girl can always keep in touch with her Best Ever Teacher..... Her Mom..!!
So, before this Mother's Day, I thought to prepare something very special and traditional dish which exclusively I learned from her. Usually I cook  Sweet Pulao with very long grain aromatic Basmati rice. But I can remember, in our childhood Maa sometimes cooked Polao with Gobindobhog (Ambemohar rice) also. She learned this from my Didama (Granny) who was very traditional in her cooking. Maa says, while she cooked pulao, she used to soak the gobindobhog rice in water overnight and then after draining she kept the rice in a big flat plate mixing with some turmeric powder. But this time as I very quickly decided to make it, I didn't get time to soak the rice overnight and therefore only soaked it for 30 mins to 1 hour. Still I got simply a beautiful result.


Here is the step by step process of making Bengali Mishti Polao (Sweet Pulao).


Ingredients:

• Gobindobhog Rice (in absence, basmati rice is absolutely ok too): 2 Cups
• Water: 3 - 4 cups
• Carrot: 1 (thinly sliced,optional)
• Green Peas: 1 Cup(optional)
• Raisin: Handful
• Cashews: Handful
• Ginger: 1 1/2 tsp. (Grated)
• Turmeric Powder: 2 tsp.
• Sugar (Powdered preferably, you may replace sugar with zero calorie sweetener also): 4-5 tbsp.
• Salt: As per taste
• Bay Leaves: 2
• Cardamoms: 4 - 5
• Cinnamon Sticks: 2 sticks
• Cloves: 3-4
• Ghee: 2 tbsp. (To minimise the calorie you may replace it with sunflower oil too, don't blame me, if you wont get the flavour, LOL ;) )
• Garam Masala Powder: 1tsp.

 Process:

• Wash and soak the rice in water for 1 hour and then drain it and keep it in a flat surface.
• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and mix with the rice very well.
• Now heat the ghee in a deep bottomed vessel. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves and fry until full fragrance comes out.
• Then add raisins and the cashews. Fry them till golden but be careful not to burn them.
• Add the green peas and the carrots. Cook for few more minutes on medium flame until the carrots become little soft.
• Add the rice and mix it with the dry fruits and the veggies very well.
• Now add turmeric powder, ginger paste and  keep on stirring it so that rice is mixed very well with all the ingredients.
• Add the salt and the sugar and mix.
• But while stirring the rice ,keep the gas on low flame and be very careful so that the rice is not burnt.
• Add the water and mix well and cover.
• Increase the flame to medium and cook for until the water is completely absorbed by the rice and the rice is done.
• Open the lid and taste the rice. Add more salt and sugar if needed.
• Sprinkle little garam masala powder and turn off the flame.
• Now your Mishti Polao is ready to serve. It is best when served with Chicken /Mutton Kosha, Curry or Mix dal and salad.

                                         Enjoy Your Food..!!