Kashmiri Pulao - AFF Indian Rice Dishes #2

I tried this recipe more than a year ago... been wanting to redo it, because I used too much saffron! The recipe called for 1/2 tsp. I should've followed the recipe with 2 pinches. The whole thing turned out too yellow and the smell was strong! But alas.... it never realized.

So, just let it be....

It's a fruity rice. Either you like it or hate it. I asked my friend , Heera from Mumbai and she told me, restaurants there always serve it with some fried paneer cubes. But it seems... the recipes online doesn't.
So, since I can't get paneer here, and milk is a luxury to be strained for that bit of curd.. I didn't make any myself. I followed the online recipes just like they are.

Frankly... I would prefer Mishti pulao over this one, I blame myself for not doing it right with the saffron.
I served my rice with Gobi 65 and fried chicken marinated with excess batter from the Gobi 65

Kashmiri Pulao

For 6-8 pax
Reference: Jeyashri's Kitchen and Vimithaa

500gm basmathi rice, washed and soak for 20 mins.
½ cup milk
½ tsp saffron strands
Ghee for cooking
1 cup cashew halves

1 cup pomegranate arils
1 cup pineapple, diced small
1 cup raisins
Some fried onions

4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 inches cinnamon stick
½ inch ginger + 2 cloves garlic, grated

1L boiling water
½ Tbsp salt
1 tsp sugar

1. Heat the milk and put in saffron to infuse.
2. Heat ghee in wok and gently fry the cashews until lightly golden, drain and keep aside.
3. With remaining ghee in wok, saute spices and ginger garlic until fragrant.
4. Add in drained rice and stir until well coated with the ghee. Add in raisins.
5. Transfer to your preferred rice cooking vessel, add water, 1/2 of the saffron milk, salt and sugar and cook until done.
6. When rice is done, drizzle the remaining saffron milk over and let it sit for 10 minutes.
7. Gently fluff the rice and sprinkle the fried onions, pineapple and pomegranate over.

I am submitting this to Asian Food Fest Indian Subcontinent Month, 

hosted by Alvin of Chef and Sommelier