Mrs. Shikra

i dont need the recipe for palaou....but my issue is whenever i make any kind of palou....the chawal gets too soft....i bigho it for like 20-30 min...make masala n all....add mutr/chicken/chanay(watever)...phir water....which is double the quantity of chawal....phir rice....when the water gets all dry i put it on dum for like 30 min....so wat in the earth im doing wrong....i have some friends coming over....and i always make baryani cuz the chawal are always perfect but this time i want to make palaou but im soooo scaredddd....please help!!!!!!

Gina~

Mrs. Shikra, once u've made the masala add the rice to it and cover the rice with enuff water plus one inch over the top.

Lusi

Well maybe use a spacious pot that would give rice enough space during the dum time.

~Sehar~

We use rice to water ratio of 1 to 1.5 and it's always perfect.

chips6

as others said,reduce the amount of liquid....for example if you are making 2 cups of rice,use 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cups of water
and secondly cook in a wider pot....cooking rice in a smaller width but deep pot,and also too much chamcha pahir-ing will smoosh them....
Mine used to be extra soft too once but now i keep these 2 things in mind and they are perfect...

Lusi

^^ yeah that is what I do, use a wide pot and reduce the water.

Mirch

This is the best tip and I have also tried and tested it.

Sunset_Eyes

^ Ditto - wider pot and one inch over the top with water! Boil and let it cook in steam in the end.

Mrs. Shikra

Thanks guys...my chawal turned out pretty good...i used the tip of putting less water and wider pot...yayayayay

SindSagar

Yes I cup rice.......1 1/2 cup of water Always works........seems you have been using 2 cups water with 1 cup rice!

Mostar95

I think when you put double amount of water, you do not consider the water content of other things like yogurt and green chillies etc as Sehar and SindSagar rightly pointed out.

Its better to soak rice in yakhni water (after washing them properly and bringing the water to room temperature) plus any short amount of fresh water for 30 mins.

funguy

Make sure you evaporate all the water over high heat and then DUM for 20 minutes.

Lusi

This statement is kind of confusing...

Zabardast

Yes...yes...I always do the same...cook for 14 minutes...on the lowest fire...

Mostar95

I mean to say wash your rice and drain out the water and then use the cooled down yakhni water for soaking. And if yakhni water is short, then make it up with fresh water. And after soaking for 30 minutes, cook the rice.

Sadia_86

Im not an expert but we use to make pulao of 4 cups of rice and 7 cups water. the first cup of water is used in the "tarka" part and rest after I put in channe or mattar and turn the heat on high. When its dum time, iItend to see if the dum should be wet or dry.

I use dry when i see its enough water left in the rice, and the wet when i see its a bit less, maybe like half a cup. Then i have the heater on 1 min while dum, and turn it off and make it stay on the stove for abt 15-20 mins.

So i think u let ur pulao too long for the dum, 30 min is alot time so maybe thats why they get too soft or mushy....