Indian style saffron rice with meatballs

When I am in the mood to go Indian with my cooking, I generally prefer the saffron rice for simple reasons. First, I like the extravagant taste and smell of saffron; it is of course the unique and exclusive spice. Secondly I prefer the long perfumed Basmati rice when I wish to make a wholesome Indian main dish. And finally saffron rice is generally an one pot meal and though there are some hassles and perfection required to come up with the perfect result, it often does not require a side dish to go along.

You can follow my previous recipes on pulao (1,2) or even a very old recipe on the biriyani (3) which are all basically different forms of Indian saffron rice. This time I thought of making a simpler lighter version of the dish, and with meat balls. Though the procedure is quite long but the dish is extremely tasty if one follows the steps precisely.

In traditional Indian cuisine, you will rarely find the combination of meat balls with saffron rice. So though this dish almost resembles a biriyani (and trust me, it tasted just as exclusive) or a more extravagant pulao but I decided to call it the saffron rice with meat balls, just to avoid entering into the stereotypes that comes with the nomenclature. So here is the recipe. Note that this is a 3 step recipe where you prepare the rice, the meat balls and then assemble them together for the final dish.

Ingredients

Minced meat : 550 grams (with shallots, garlic and parsley)

Basmati Rice : 450 grams

Sunflower oil : 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds : 1+1 teaspoon

Whole Cloves : 9+9

Cinnamon stick: 1+1

Cumin seeds : 1+1 teaspoon

Garlic : 3 cloves

Onion : 1

Tomato : 1

Butter : 70 grams

Cumin Powder : 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder : 1 teaspoon

Red Chili powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala Powder : 2 teaspoons

White pepper powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Tomato puree : 2 tablespoons

Water : 1 cup

Coriander leaves : 1 bunch

Saffron : 1 dose

Salt: to taste.

Procedures

Coarsely chop the onion and garlic.

Prepare the Rice

Wash the rice well at least 3 times until the water runs clear, then take it in a deep bottomed pan with water double the quantity of rice. Add salt to the rice.

Add the sunflower oil to the rice.

Add the whole spices (Coriander seeds: 1 teaspoon; Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon; Cinnamon stick : 1 and cloves : 9) to the rice.

Wait for the rice to be cooked. Be careful not to overcook it, the grains should be well separate. Then strain the rice.

Add about 20 grams of butter to the rice.

Fluff the rice with a spatula so that the rice gets well coated with butter. Keep aside.

Prepare the meat balls

Roll the minced meat into balls and keep aside.

Take 15 grams of butter in the pan and let it melt.

Place the meatballs in the pan and fry for about 7 minutes.

Turn the sides of the meat balls and fry again for about 7 minutes.

When the meat balls are done, remove them from the pan and keep aside.

In the same pan with the remaining butter add 15 grams of butter. 

Add 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds, 9 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick.

Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until the onions turn golden brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté.

Add the dried powdered spices (cumin Powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, Garam Masala powder and white pepper powder shown in the picture in this order from left to right, top to bottom)

Sauté the spices nicely to incorporate them with the onions, garlics and tomatoes.

As soon as the oil separates from the spice mixture, add the tomato puree. Stir nicely.

Stir lightly and then wait a few moments till the oil separates from the spice.

Now add 1 cup of water .

Place the meat balls in the pan.

Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes change the sides of the meat balls. If it is too dry add some water (if necessary). Cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

The final meatball should look like this. It should not be too dry, neither should have too much of fluid and the oil should separate from the spice mixture.

Remove the meatball from the gravy and keep them aside.

The assembling

Now add half of the rice on the gravy of the meatballs in the pan.

Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves.

Prepare the saffron mixture by adding one dose of Ducros powdered saffron in lukewarm water. Pour half of it on the rice evenly.

Add rest of the rice and level it in the pan.

Spread the remaining half of saffron on the rice.

Sprinkle some coriander leaves again.

Add about 20 grams of butter on the rice.

Place the meatballs on the rice.

Cover the pan with an aluminum foil.

Place the lid on the pan and cook in medium heat for 10 minutes. Then lower the heat and cook for 7 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then open the aluminum foil.

Remove the meat balls from the pan.

Mix the rice and spices well.

The saffron rice with meat balls is ready.

  

Printable Recipe

Indian Style Saffron Rice With Meatballs
Author: Mitanti Ghosh
Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking time: 1 hr 20 min
Servings: 4

Calories per serving: 525 kcal

Indian saffron rice made with meat balls. This is a 3 step recipe where you prepare the rice, the meat balls and then assemble them together for the final dish. Though the procedure is quite long but the dish is extremely tasty if one follows the steps precisely.

Ingredients:

• Minced meat : 550 grams
• Basmati Rice : 450 grams
• Sunflower oil : 1 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds : 1+1 teaspoon
• Whole Cloves : 9+9
• Cinnamon stick: 1+1
• Cumin seeds : 1+1 teaspoon
• Garlic : 3 cloves
• Onion : 1
• Tomato : 1
• Butter : 70 grams
• Cumin Powder : 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder : 1 teaspoon
• Red Chili powder : 1/2 teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder : 2 teaspoons
• White pepper powder : 1/2 teaspoon
• Tomato puree : 2 tablespoons
• Water : 1 cup
• Coriander leaves : 1 bunch
• Saffron : 1 dose
• Salt: to taste.

Instructions:

1. Coarsely chop the tomato, onion and garlic
2. Wash the rice well at least 3 times until the water runs clear, then take it in a deep bottomed pan with water double the quantity of rice. Add salt to the rice.
3. Add the sunflower oil to the rice.
4. Add the whole spices (Coriander seeds: 1 teaspoon; Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon; Cinnamon stick : 1 and cloves : 9) to the rice.
5. Wait for the rice to be cooked. Be careful not to overcook it, the grains should be well separate. Then strain the rice.
6. Add about 20 grams of butter to the rice. Fluff the rice with a spatula so that the rice gets well coated with butter. Keep aside.
7. Roll the minced meat into balls and keep aside.
8. Take 15 grams of butter in the pan and let it melt.
9. Place the meatballs in the pan and fry for about 7 minutes.
10. Turn the sides of the meat balls and fry again for about 7 minutes. When the meat balls are done, remove them from the pan and keep aside.
11. In the same pan with the remaining butter add 15 grams of butter. Add 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds, 9 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick.
12. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
13. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté.
14. Add the dried powdered spices (cumin Powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, Garam Masala powder and white pepper powder) and sauté nicely to incorporate them with the onions, garlics and tomatoes.
15. As soon as the oil separates from the spice mixture, add the tomato puree. Stir nicely.
16. Stir lightly and then wait a few moments till the oil separates from the spice.
17. Now add 1 cup of water and salt.
18. Place the meat balls in the pan. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
19. After 15 minutes change the sides of the meat balls. If it is too dry add some water (if necessary). Cover and cook for another 15 minutes.
20. Remove the meatball from the gravy and keep them aside.
21. Now add half of the rice on the gravy of the meatballs in the pan.
22. Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves.
23. Prepare the saffron mixture by adding one dose of Ducros powdered saffron in lukewarm water. Pour half of it on the rice evenly.
24. Add rest of the rice and level it in the pan.
25. Spread the remaining half of saffron on the rice.
26. Sprinkle some coriander leaves again.
27. Add about 20 grams of butter on the rice. Place the meatballs on the rice.
28. Cover the pan with an aluminum foil. Place the lid on the pan and cook in medium heat for 10 minutes. Then lower the heat and cook for 7 minutes.
29. Remove from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then open the aluminum foil. Remove the meat balls from the pan. Mix the rice and spices well. The saffron rice with meat balls is ready.