Bannu is a town in the south of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and its pulao has travelled well beyond it: there are Bannu pulao houses in Karachi, Lahore, Sharjah and Jeddah. It is a beef pulao for occasions. Big bone-in pieces of beef are simmered with whole spices, coriander seed, fennel, black cardamom and cinnamon among them, until the broth is rich with bone and marrow. The rice then cooks in that broth with golden onion and whole green chillies, and the beef goes back on top in large pieces to serve. The spicing is kept mild so the beef stock carries the dish. Serve it with yoghurt, a plain salad and lemon wedges.
Zone: Silk Road Table
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg bone-in beef shin (in large pieces)
- about 3 litres water (for the broth)
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 8-10 black peppercorns
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4-5 cloves
- salt (to taste)
- 1.5 kg basmati rice (soaked 30 minutes)
- 240 ml ghee or oil
- 2 medium onions (sliced)
- 4 green chillies (whole)
- 2 tomatoes (chopped (optional))
- plain yoghurt (salad and lemon wedges, to serve)
METHOD
- Put the beef in a large pot with the water, salt, ginger-garlic paste and all the whole spices. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently for 2 to 2½ hours until the meat is tender.
- Lift out the beef and strain and keep the broth.
- Heat the ghee in a large heavy pot and fry the onions until golden. Add the beef and stir-fry it lightly. Add the green chillies, and the tomatoes if using.
- Pour in the broth and bring to the boil. Add the drained rice, topping up with water if needed so the liquid sits about a finger’s width above the rice.
- Cook over a medium heat until the liquid has mostly been absorbed, then cover tightly and steam on a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Mix gently, heap onto a platter and lay the large pieces of beef on top. Serve with yoghurt, salad and lemon wedges.
NOTES
UK adaptation: Beef shin on the bone, with a few marrow bones if the butcher has them; halal butchers will cut it in large pieces for pulao. Black cardamom and fennel seed from any South Asian grocer. Basmati or sella rice. Everything else widely available.
US adaptation: Bone-in beef shank and marrow bones from a halal butcher. Black cardamom from Patel Brothers. Basmati or sella rice. Everything else widely available.
Cook’s note: Keep the beef in large pieces on the bone and simmer it gently. The bone and marrow give the broth its body, and a hard boil clouds it.
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