Food Diaries Recipe | 11 Dec 2022 | Recipes: Mohanthaal & Shahi Pulao With Curry | Chef Zarnak Sidhwa

Method
Combine the saffron strands and ½ tsp warm water in a bowl, mix well and keep aside.
Mix the gram flour, 3 tbsp melted ghee and 3 tbsp milk in a bowl very well. Gently press it to even out the mixture. Cover with a lid and keep aside for 30 minutes. Sieve it using a sieve with big holes. Keep aside. Heat the ghee. Add the sieved besan mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, or till the mixture turns brown in colour, while stirring continuously.
Remove from the flame and keep aside to cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a deep pan, when it boils, lower the flame and add 2 tsp milk, mix well and cook stirring occasionally. Remove the dirt that floats on the sugar mixture. Lower the flame and cook for 7 minutes, or till the syrup is of 1 thread consistency. Add the rosewater, cardamom powder, saffron-water mixture and the prepared sugar syrup to the cooled gramflour mixture, mix well and stir for approx. 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring continuously or till the mixture cools.
Add the remaining 3 tbsp of milk and mix well. Grease an 8” thaali or tray with oil and pour the mixture into it and spread it evenly using a flat spatula. Sprinkle the pistachio and almond slivers evenly over the mohanthal and pat it lightly. Keep it aside to cool completely for 2 hours.
Cut the mohanthal into equal sized pieces and store in an air-tight container.

Method
For the nawabi paste, combine all the ingredients and blend to a smooth paste, using ¼ cup of water. Keep aside.For the nawabi curry, heat the ghee, add the nawabi paste and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring continuously. Add the tomato purée, cream, sugar and salt and cook stirring occasionally. Add ¼ cup water, cook stirring continuously. Keep aside. For the shahi pulao, heat the ghee, add the cardamom and cinnamon, sauté. Add the almonds, cashews and raisins, sauté. Add the rice, mix well and add the sugar, cherries, pineapple and salt, mix lightly. Divide it into 2 equal portions and set aside. Grease a pyrex dish with ghee, put 1 portion of a shahi pulao in it and spread it evenly using the back of the spoon. Put the prepared nawabi curry over it and spread it evenly. Put the 2nd portion of shahi pulao over it and spread.Pour the milk over it, cover with foil or a pyrex lid and cook in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for 10-12 minutes. Just before serving, turn upside down on a big serving plate.Serve immediately.

Method

Mix flour eggs and milk and whisk add oil water and make a smooth batter for thin crepes, let stand for a while and then heat a crepe pan, brush with oil or butter and cook a ladle-full of crepe batter, for a minute on each side and then layer on a plate with greaseproof paper in between so they don’t stick