Dimer Pulao Recipe – Bengali Egg Pulao/Pilaf

My dad’s family had a very strong influence on our way of life. My parents lived in my grandfather’s house as part of a large joint family till the year I was born. However, when I was a little baby, my dad’s job took him to another city. My mom, sister and I soon followed him. So my mom was indoctrinated into the ways of my dad’s family for 7 long years when she lived with them and until I was born.

Why I tell you this is because today’s recipe is an heirloom one. My mom’s first exposure to real cooking was in my Dida’s (paternal grandma’s) kitchen.  My mom was never much of a cooking enthusiast. She did the everyday cooking and for all the occasional delicacies she had a list of heirloom recipes duly taught to her by the matriarch of our family, my Dida. So this egg pilaf or the dimer pulao was the one which topped the list. Every occasion worth referencing would see it out on the table.

Another thing which I remember was, the winter months were when this was mostly cooked. Unlike me, ma (my mom) never had a pantry stocked with gourmet ingredients. So I distinctly remember, my dad’s (a very big foodie from whom I inherited my love for food) joy when he came back from the grocery store with small newspaper wrapped pouches of  spices, the best ghee in town (clarified butter), dried fruits, rice grown locally in the foothills (not Basmati) and of course, organic eggs.

It’s amazing how festive the entire house felt with this pulao on the stove. Later on, I have seen my mom (clearly inspired by her two cooking ninja children) daring to tweak the recipe by adding something in or taking something out. But whatever it is, the damn thing tastes so delicious. It is a recipe that no one taught me and I never technically learnt it, but this is one recipe that helps me conjure up a lot of warm food memories.

Two memories clearly flash right now. One such is of my maternal granddad. He was widowed and ailing and lived by himself. The day Dida cooked this pulao, she would insist my dad take the train and travel a good one hour to carry some of this pulao to him. And another one is of my aunt, Mejopishi  (dad’s sister) who lost the battle to cancer very young. I believe the last time she was healthy and came to visit us, this is what ma cooked amidst all the laughter, zest and bonding in the kitchen that day.

I would love Gungun to come back to the blog one day and narrate her memoir of this heirloom pulao or may be one day make it for her children and remember me.

Bengali Egg Pulao Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Somdatta
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 35

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Description

A delicious one-pot meal that my grandma made on cold winter evenings. Try this Bengali Egg Pulao Recipe of as well call it Dimer Pulao Recipe.

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Ingredients

• Rice- 3 cups
• Turmeric Powder – 3 tsp
• Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt – To taste
• Sugar – To taste
• Ghee – 5tbsp
• Cloves- 1/2 tsp
• Cumin- 1 tsp
• Cardamom -1 /2 tsp, crushed
• Bay Leaf – 2, large
• Cinnamon stick – 1, large
• Eggs – 6
• Raisins- 1/4 cup
• Cashews- 1/4 cup, broken
• Green Chilies – 3-4

For the spice stock

• Water – 5 cups
• Cardamom- 2 tbsp, crushed
• Cinnamon stick – 1 inch
• Cumin – 1 tbsp
• Bay Leaf – 2
• Cloves – 1 tbsp

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Instructions

1. Hard-boil the eggs, remove the shell and score through them.
2. Add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of turmeric powder to the eggs. Make sure that each of the eggs is coated well.
3. In a pan, add the vegetable oil and heat it. Shallow fry the eggs till the eggs are browned well. Remove them from the oil and set aside.
4. In a pan, add the water and all the ingredients of the spice stock.
5. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for 15 mins.
6. Remove from heat and strain the stock. Set aside.
7. Wash the rice, drain the water and spread it out on a plate for 15-20 mins to make sure its dry.
8. In a mixing bowl, mix the rice, salt, sugar, turmeric powder, 2 tbsp ghee, raisins, cashews and green chilies.
9. In the pan, add 3 tbsp of ghee and heat it.
10. Add the cloves, cumin, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon stick. As soon as the ghee gets fragrant, add the rice.
11. Stir the rice very lightly. Keep cooking for 10 mins stirring from time to time. Make sure to stir lightly so that the grains of the rice are not broken.
12. Add 3 cups of the spice stock and let it come to a boil. Let it simmer until most of the liquid evaporates.
13. Remove from flame, cover with lid and let it rest for 10-15 mins.
14. Remove the lid, and stir with a ladle and fluff the pulao.
15. Add 2tbsp of ghee to the pulao and serve it right away.

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Keywords: Dimer Pulao Recipe, Bengali Egg Pulao Recipe