Zafrani pulao for a crowd
Saffron, dry fruits and whole spices. A festive pulao that feeds twelve and takes forty minutes.
Warm a pinch of saffron in a quarter cup of milk and set aside. Soak 1 kg of extra-long basmati for 30 minutes.
In ghee, fry cashews, almonds and raisins until golden. Remove. In the same ghee, bloom cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, then add the drained rice and stir gently for two minutes.
Add 1.5 litres of hot water and a teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook on low until the water is absorbed. Pour over the saffron milk, scatter the nuts, and rest for ten minutes before serving.