Modur Pulavमोदुर पुलाव

Name: Modur Pulav
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Kashmiri
Ingredients: 2 cups aged basmati rice; 4 tbsp ghee; ¼ tsp saffron strands — Kashmiri kesar; 3 tbsp warm milk (to bloom saffron); ½ cup sugar; 6 pods green cardamom — elaichi; 2-inch piece cinnamon stick; 4 whole cloves — laung; 2 leaves bay leaves — tej patta; ¼ cup, slivered blanched almonds — badaam; ¼ cup cashews — kaju; 3 tbsp golden raisins — kishmish; 1 tsp rose water; ½ tsp salt

⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 35m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Secret Chef (YouTube)

Modur Pulav is Kashmir valley's most beloved festive rice — sweetened, saffron-gold, and crowned with fried dry fruits. Unlike the spiced savory pulavs of the plains, this dish leans into Kashmir's distinct culinary tradition of pairing warmth with sweetness. Made for weddings and Eid, it reflects the valley's Wazwan heritage where a great feast always ends with something fragrant and golden.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪aged basmati rice2 cups
▪ghee4 tbsp
▪saffron strands — Kashmiri kesar¼ tsp
▪warm milk (to bloom saffron)3 tbsp
▪sugar½ cup
▪green cardamom — elaichi6 pods
▪cinnamon stick2-inch piece
▪cloves — laung4 whole
▪bay leaves — tej patta2 leaves
▪blanched almonds — badaam¼ cup, slivered
▪cashews — kaju¼ cup
▪golden raisins — kishmish3 tbsp
▪rose water1 tsp
▪salt½ tsp

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Kashmiri saffron is the gold standard but Spanish or Iranian saffron works beautifully. Find it at Indian grocery stores or online — a tiny pinch blooms into an intense colour.
Rose water is widely available at Middle Eastern and Indian grocery stores, and online. A drop of orange blossom water makes a pleasant variation if rose water is unavailable.
Aged basmati (look for Dehradun-style or 1121 varieties) cooks up longer and fluffier. Substitute any fragrant long-grain rice; avoid instant or parboiled rice.

Method

1Wash basmati rice until water runs clear, then soak 30 minutes. Drain.
2Crush saffron strands and steep in warm milk for 10 minutes until bloomed golden-orange.
3Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, and lightly cracked cardamom pods; fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
4Add drained rice and sauté 2 minutes, coating each grain. Add 3½ cups water and salt. Bring to a boil.
5Once boiling, stir in sugar and the saffron-milk. Reduce heat to very low, cover tightly, and cook 16–18 minutes until rice is just tender.
6In a small pan heat remaining 2 tbsp ghee. Fry almonds and cashews until light gold, then add raisins and fry 30 seconds more.
7Remove pulav from heat, drizzle rose water over the surface, and rest covered 5 minutes.
8Fluff gently with a fork, mound on a platter, and scatter the fried nuts and raisins on top.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.