Polao with Anaras (Pine-apple)

Name: Polao with Anaras (Pine-apple)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 900 grams Meat (1 seer converted to approximately 900 g; use bone-in or boneless cuts suitable for slow cooking, such as mutton or lamb shoulder); 900 grams Rice (1 seer converted to approximately 900 g; use long-grain basmati rice); 1350 grams Pineapple (1½ seers converted to approximately 1350 g; peeled and cut into medium pieces); 60 ml Lemon juice (½ powa converted to approximately 60 ml; add more if desired); 450 grams Sugar (½ seer converted to approximately 450 g); 35 grams Fresh ginger (3 tolas converted to approximately 35 g; to be ground into a paste); 17 grams Coriander seeds (1½ tolas converted to approximately 17 g; to be ground into a paste); 12 grams Black cumin seeds (1 tola converted to approximately 12 g; divided into two equal portions of approximately 6 g each — one for the meat pan, one for the rice pan); 3 grams Cloves (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; used whole); 3 grams Cinnamon (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; used whole (stick)); 3 grams Cardamom (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; used whole (pods)); 3 grams Saffron (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; to be ground into a paste or dissolved in a small amount of warm water to smear on rice); 46 grams Salt (4 tolas converted to approximately 46 g total; divided — approximately 12 g (1 tola) for the pineapple step, remainder for the rice pot); 450 grams Ghee (½ seer converted to approximately 450 g total; divided into three portions: approximately 113 g (½ powa) for frying the meat, approximately 113 g (½ powa) for frying the rice spices, and approximately 113 g (1 powa) to finish — note the original total ghee is ½ seer but the method calls for about ½ seer distributed across steps; use as directed); 3600 ml Water (4 seers converted to approximately 3600 ml (3.6 litres); used to boil the meat; keep extra hot water on hand to top up if needed during cooking); 4 leaves Cassia leaves (A few cassia leaves (also known as Indian bay leaves or tej patta); optional but traditional)

A fragrant colonial-era Indian spiced rice dish combining slow-cooked meat and sweet-sour pineapple simmered in a sugar-lemon syrup, all brought together with saffron, whole spices, and clarified butter. This rich and aromatic polao balances savoury, sweet, and floral notes in a single pot.

⏱ Prep: 30m

🍳 Cook: 2h

⏰ Total: 2h 30m

🍽 Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

900 grams Meat (1 seer converted to approximately 900 g; use bone-in or boneless cuts suitable for slow cooking, such as mutton or lamb shoulder)
900 grams Rice (1 seer converted to approximately 900 g; use long-grain basmati rice)
1350 grams Pineapple (1½ seers converted to approximately 1350 g; peeled and cut into medium pieces)
60 ml Lemon juice (½ powa converted to approximately 60 ml; add more if desired)
450 grams Sugar (½ seer converted to approximately 450 g)
35 grams Fresh ginger (3 tolas converted to approximately 35 g; to be ground into a paste)
17 grams Coriander seeds (1½ tolas converted to approximately 17 g; to be ground into a paste)
12 grams Black cumin seeds (1 tola converted to approximately 12 g; divided into two equal portions of approximately 6 g each — one for the meat pan, one for the rice pan)
3 grams Cloves (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; used whole)
3 grams Cinnamon (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; used whole (stick))
3 grams Cardamom (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; used whole (pods))
3 grams Saffron (¼ tola converted to approximately 3 g; to be ground into a paste or dissolved in a small amount of warm water to smear on rice)
46 grams Salt (4 tolas converted to approximately 46 g total; divided — approximately 12 g (1 tola) for the pineapple step, remainder for the rice pot)
450 grams Ghee (½ seer converted to approximately 450 g total; divided into three portions: approximately 113 g (½ powa) for frying the meat, approximately 113 g (½ powa) for frying the rice spices, and approximately 113 g (1 powa) to finish — note the original total ghee is ½ seer but the method calls for about ½ seer distributed across steps; use as directed)
3600 ml Water (4 seers converted to approximately 3600 ml (3.6 litres); used to boil the meat; keep extra hot water on hand to top up if needed during cooking)
4 leaves Cassia leaves (A few cassia leaves (also known as Indian bay leaves or tej patta); optional but traditional)

Instructions

1Place the sugar in a medium saucepan and add just enough water to dissolve it, stirring over medium heat until you have a thick, saturated syrup. Add the pineapple pieces (cut into medium chunks), the lemon juice, and approximately 12 g (1 tola) of salt. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or more, until the pineapple is soft and well seasoned by the syrup. Set aside but keep warm. Tip: the pineapple should be tender but still hold its shape. This step can be started first as it takes the longest.
2Place the meat in a large heavy-bottomed pot and pour in approximately 3600 ml (3.6 litres) of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer over low to medium-low heat. Cook the meat uncovered until the water has reduced by at least half (you should have roughly 1.5 to 1.8 litres of stock remaining). This will take approximately 45–60 minutes depending on your cut of meat. Skim any foam from the surface as needed. Once done, carefully remove the meat from the stock using a slotted spoon or tongs and set both the meat and the stock aside separately. Do not discard the stock — you will need it later. Keep the stock warm on a low flame.
3While the meat and pineapple are cooking, prepare the paste for coating the rice. Using a mortar and pestle (or a small blender), grind the saffron, fresh ginger, and coriander seeds together into a smooth paste. You may add a tiny splash of water to help the grinding. Set the paste aside — it will be used to coat the washed rice before frying.
4Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear, then spread it out on a clean tray or flat dish and allow it to dry for 10–15 minutes. Once dry, add the saffron-ginger-coriander paste you prepared in the previous step and mix well so all the rice grains are evenly coated. Set aside.
5Heat approximately 113 g (½ powa) of ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pan or pot over low to medium heat. Once the ghee is hot and shimmering, add half of the black cumin seeds (approximately 6 g) and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant — you will hear a gentle sizzle and smell the aroma. Now add the boiled meat pieces (which you set aside from step 2). Fry the meat over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until the pieces are lightly browned on the outside and no longer stick together, about 10–15 minutes. Keep the heat low — this is a slow preparation. Pour the reserved meat stock back into the pan with the browned meat and bring everything to a gentle boil. Keep this pot simmering on low heat while you prepare the rice.
6At the same time as step 5 (use a second burner), heat approximately 113 g (½ powa) of ghee in a second large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Add the remaining half of the black cumin seeds (approximately 6 g), the whole cloves, the cinnamon stick, and the whole cardamom pods. If using cassia leaves, add them now too. Fry gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until you can clearly smell the fragrant aroma of the spices rising from the pan — this usually takes 2–3 minutes. Do not let them burn; keep the heat low.
7Add the paste-coated rice from step 4 to the pot of fried whole spices (step 6). Stir constantly over low heat to coat all the grains in the spiced ghee. Continue stirring and frying over low heat until some of the rice grains begin to burst open or puff slightly at the ends — you will see a few grains split. This indicates the rice has been toasted enough and is ready to absorb the stock. This takes approximately 5–8 minutes. Keep the heat low throughout.
8Carefully ladle or pour the boiling meat along with all of its stock into the rice pot, stirring well to combine everything evenly. Add the remaining salt (approximately 34 g, which is the total 46 g minus the 12 g used in step 1) and stir again. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then stir once more, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and reduce the heat to very low. Allow the polao to cook slowly under the cover. Check occasionally — if the water runs short at any point, carefully add a splash of hot water to prevent burning. The rice will gradually absorb all the liquid. This slow cooking phase takes approximately 20–30 minutes total.
9When the rice is almost done — approximately 10 minutes before you expect the water to fully dry up — carefully lift the lid and add the cooked pineapple pieces along with all of the sugar syrup from step 1. Stir gently to distribute the pineapple throughout the polao without breaking the rice grains. Replace the lid and continue cooking on the lowest heat for the remaining 10 minutes. The pineapple will warm through and its sweet syrup will perfume the entire dish.
10Once all the water has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, remove the lid. Heat approximately 113 g (1 powa) of ghee in a small saucepan until it is hot and just beginning to shimmer. Pour this hot ghee evenly over the polao in the pot. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold and stir the polao to distribute the ghee throughout, which will make the rice fluffy, glossy, and prevent the grains from sticking together. The polao is now ready to serve. Transfer carefully to a large serving dish, keeping the pineapple pieces as intact as possible. Serve hot.