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Bukhari Pulao

Layers of slow cooked melt-in-your-mouth beef, caramelized onions, tomatoes and carrots in rice - try this Arabian take on biryani for your next big family meal.
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: pakistani
Keyword: dairy free, gluten free, sugar free
Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the Curry

  • 1 cup oil (avocado or canola)
  • 1 lbs boneless beef cubes* (shoulder is best)
  • 1 lbs onions (about 3 large onions)
  • 3 green chillies
  • 1 lbs tomatoes (about 3-4 large tomatoes)
  • 1 lbs carrots (about 2-3 large carrots)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • salt
  • pepper

For the Rice

  • 2 cups basmati rice (I recommend sella basmati rice)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves (laung)
  • 3 black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

Soak Rice

  • Rinse the basmati rice well and soak in 1 cup water with the remaining rice spices. Set aside while you prepare the curry.

Make the Curry

  • In a large pan with a lid, heat 1 cup of oil and add the 1 lbs boneless beef cubes and 1 tsp salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally till the beef cubes are turning golden brown. About 15-20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, use a food processor to thinly slice the onions, tomatoes, green chillies and grate the carrots separately and set aside (food processor makes quick work of the slicing, but you can also slice by hand). Sprinkle the onions, tomatoes and grated carrots with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper each and set aside separately. You will add them one at a time to the curry.
  • When the beef is browned, add the sliced onions. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally till the onions are starting to turn brown. About 20-25 minutes.
  • Once the onions are browned, add the sliced tomatoes and sliced green chillies, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, till the tomatoes have softened. You will start to see the oil start to separate and float over the rest of the curry. About 15-20 minutes. Taste the curry, and adjust for salt and pepper to your liking.

Traditional method - On Stove Top

  • Turn the heat down to low, spread out the curry in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Add the grated carrots in a layer over the curry.
  • Add the peas in another layer over the carrots, trying not to disturb the layers you are creating.
  • Add the rice with soaking water in a layer over everything. I like to add the rice first, then carefully pour the soaking water over top so as not to disturb the layers. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp black pepper over top.
  • Cover and make sure the heat is on low. I recommend you place your pot on top of another large frying pan on the stove so as to reduce the direct heat on the bottom of the pan. This will help avoid burning the bottom before the rice has had a chance to fully cook.
  • Cook for 15-20 minutes till the rice is almost cooked through and the water is completely absorbed. IF you find the water has not absorbed turn up the heat a bit and allow to steam for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to steam with the lid on for at least 10 minutes to let the rice soften a bit more.
  • To serve, flip the whole thing onto a large serving plate. You should have some deliciously caramelized meat curry on top and the fluffy rice on the bottom with colourful jewels of carrots and peas mixed in between. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Oven Method - (Easy No-flip)

  • Preheat oven to 450F (232C).
  • Once the curry is ready, set aside. In a separate large oven proof pan with a lid, add the rice and soaking water and allow to heat in the oven without the lid on till the water has almost evaporated. About 10 minutes.
  • Layer the carrots over the half cooked rice.
  • Layer the peas on top of the carrots.
  • Layer the curry overtop of the peas. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  • Cover and bake in oven at 400F (204C) for 20-30 minutes till the rice is cooked through. Turn off the heat and allow to steam with the lid on for at least 10 minutes.
  • Gently give the rice and curry a mix together, and serve warm.

Notes

*If you want to make a vegetarian friendly version, swap out the meat for canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed. Then cook the same way!
If you are doubling the recipe I recommend you use the oven method - larger quantity of rice will be much harder to flip in the end if you use the stove top method. Or just avoid flipping it and just mix the ingredients together before serving.