Mutton or Chicken Pulao

Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati rice (Originally '1 seer' (approx 1 lb). Use high-quality old rice.)
• 1 pound Onions (Originally '1 seer'. Finely sliced.)
• 1 cup Ghee (Originally '1 seer' (approx 2 cups/1 lb). Reduced for modern preference, but can be increased for authenticity.)
• 2 teaspoons Salt (Originally '1 tola'. Adjust to taste.)
• 1 tablespoon Shah-jeera (Black Cumin) (Originally '1 tola'.)
• 1 pound Cooked Mutton or Chicken (Pre-cooked/fried without gravy until tender. Can use 1/2 fowl cut into pieces.)
• 4 cups Water (Originally '2 seer' for old rice (approx 4 cups). Use 3 cups if rice is new.)
• 4 ounces Sugar (Optional. Originally '1 navtank'. Only use if sweet rice is preferred.)
• 1 pinch Saffron strands (Optional. Originally '5 val'. Soaked in rose water or lemon juice.)
• 1 tablespoon Rose water or Lemon juice (Optional. For soaking saffron.)

Instructions

1. 1Clean and wash the rice gently. Peel the onions and slice them very finely, like vermicelli.
2. 2In a tinned pot (or heavy-bottomed pan), heat the ghee. Fry the sliced onions until they are very red. Note: If you prefer lighter colored rice, fry onions to a pale red; for white rice, fry to a light almond color.
3. 3Add the washed rice and salt to the pot with the fried onions. Pour in the water (use less water for new rice, more for old rice) and add the shah-jeera. Place on the fire, cover with an inverted lid, and bring to a boil.
4. 4Once the rice is partially cooked, gently stir with the handle of a spoon. Mix in the pre-cooked meat or chicken. Cover tightly and place on low heat (embers) to steam. If you prefer sweet rice, mix in the sugar at this stage. If using saffron, soak it in rose water or lemon juice for 30 minutes beforehand and add it now.
5. 5Check the rice after a short while by pressing a grain; if it feels hard, sprinkle a little water over it. Keep on low heat until the rice is fully tender and fluffy. Be careful not to add too much water initially, or the rice will become mushy like kheer.