The sound of “Mishti Pulao”, a slightly sweet Bengali rice dish, takes me back to this little girl dining on this tiny table and chair, set by the family dining table just where the door opens. It is Christmas lunch. The family has gathered around the table. Crisp winter air blows in through the door, making the food scents even more tantalizing. Grandma shuffles back and forth from the kitchen, warming up food and bringing them to the table. This little girl waits…very impatiently.
She loves her tiny table all for herself. The dining table is buzzing with adult conversation that does not interest her. She prefers looking out and getting lost in her own world: it is easier to do that from where she is placed. She plays with the streamers and keeps looking out as she waits, watching the big Jamrool tree offer shade – the shadows shimmering in patches or forming arbitrary pattern on the ground, the leaves swishing in that mellowed but invigorating winter air.
What she is waiting for is the heap of caramelized crisp onions on the pile of yellow Mishti Pulao. Dida will serve her first. Hot aromatic pulao and the spicy sauce coated pieces of meat makes every day perfect. The date and tomato chutney will come later and finally the bejeweled slices of fruit cakes that got baked the niight before. And I still do. I still have my Mishti Pulao with caramelized onions heaped on the top. 
Mishti Pulao or Pilaf with cashews and raisins with a slight hint of sweet is a very traditional Bengali dish. Served with a spicy meat curry, as it usually is, the flavors of the spices, ghee and Gobindobhog rice together is an unforgettable riot. The pulao/pilaf is almost always served as a part of the traditional wedding meal, or any other significant celebration. Always with a spicy side. My favorite has been with Kosha Mangsho or braised meat. However I have to admit that I need no sides with this. The amalgam of flavors and the texture of the nuts, the sweet raisins and the perfectly cooked rice with each separate grains makes it a dish to love by itself.
Every family has traditions and ours, or rather mine was to have Mishti Pulao with caramelized onions and Kosha Mangsho for Christmas lunch at my grandparents. I do not have distinct memories of any other days that I had mishti pulao, that I savor, like this particular day. I have had it this way for many years. For as long as my grandparents lived in that house. Then there are those wedding meals (including my own) when I did wait for the Mishti Pulao with the golden fried cashews and sweet plump raisins, but they never did have the fried onions.
Slowly caramelized onions do add another level of flavor to this dish but what is most important is the use of the Gobindo bhog rice. It is a very fragrant short grain rice used in Bengal for this pulao and also for Payesh or Kheer (Rice Pudding). I get the rice from India. Each grain is a grain of gold. I have not found this rice in anywhere here. I do think using good quality Jasmine rice works for this recipe and so does Basmati.
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Bengali-Inspired Pilaf with Cashews and Raisins
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Vegetarian, Omnivore
Description
Fragrant rice pilaf with cashews and raisins, a traditional Bengali side. Perfect with spiced meats or enjoyed on its own.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) rice
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) ghee
- 1.5 inch cinnamon stick
- 4 small green cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 2 tejpatta/Indian bay leaves
- a pinch of mace (powdered)
- a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1.5-2 cups (355-473 ml) packed onion very finely sliced in half moon
- 0.25-0.5 cups (59-118 ml) raw cashews
- 0.25-0.5 cups (59-118 ml) golden or sultana raisins
- a fistful of slivered almonds
- Salt
- 3 tsp sugar
- 0.25-0.5 cups (59-118 ml) shelled peas
- a sprinkle of turmeric powder
- 1 slit green chili pepper
- a small pinch of saffron
Instructions
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and spread it in a thin layer on a paper towel for 30-60 minutes, or until dry to the touch.
- If desired, sprinkle a tiny bit of turmeric on the rice after washing and before drying for a yellow hue.
- If using onions, slice them into thin half moons.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and a small sprinkle of salt to the onions and slowly cook them over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until caramelized and crisped (30 minutes or more).
- Remove the onions from the pan and spread them on a paper towel to cool and crisp further. Store in an airtight container once cool.
- Pound the cardamom, cinnamon, and clove until they break into small pieces.
- In a thick-bottomed pan, heat ghee. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, green chili pepper (if using), and tejpatta/Indian bay leaf. Once the spices sizzle, add freshly ground black pepper.
- Add cashews, almonds (if using), raisins, and peas (if desired). Stir and toss.
- Add salt, sugar, washed and dried rice, grated ginger, and mace. Toss and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the rice glistens.
- Bring 2.5 cups of water (or as needed for your rice type) to a boil. Add saffron threads (if using).
- Add the boiling water to the rice. Cook uncovered over high heat until the water disappears from the top. Reduce heat to minimum, cover, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 more minutes.
- Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Drizzle with more ghee, if desired.
- Serve with spicy sides or by itself.
Notes
- For deeper caramelization, cook the onions on low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Toasted cashews and raisins add extra flavor; toast them separately in a dry pan before adding to the pilaf.
- Store leftover pilaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Bengali
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of rice works best for a Bengali-style pilaf?
Long-grain basmati rice is the standard choice. Rinse it well and soak it for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking so the grains stay separate and fluffy rather than sticky.
Do I add the cashews and raisins raw, or should they be toasted or fried first?
Frying the cashews briefly in ghee or oil until golden before adding them to the rice gives them a much better flavor and crunch. The raisins can be added in the final minutes of cooking so they plump up without burning.
What whole spices are typically used in a Bengali pilaf?
Bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon sticks are common. They’re usually tempered in hot fat at the start before the rice goes in, which blooms their flavor throughout the dish.
