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Basanti Pulao is almost a staple in any Bengali festive thali; the light, fragrant pulao made of delicate short-grain gobindo bhog rice has a prominent infusion of ghee and is topped with cashew and often raisins. Basanti pulao (the word Basanti in Bengali means yellow) gets its colour from saffron-soaked milk which is used to cook the rice, and not by turmeric which most people often think. The sweet yellow pulao is typically served with a side of rich kosha mangsho, so the peppery intensity from the meat pairs perfectly with the balanced sweetness of the rice.
Turns out this classic Bengali dish was influenced by a Mughlai rice dish and retained some of its culinary influences. The pulao has evolved from Shahjahani Zard Pulao which was a Mughal delicacy that was most likely perfected in Shahjahan’s royal kitchen. The use of saffron, a key ingredient in Zard Pulao, was a hallmark of Mughal culinary preferences. Saffron not only imparts a rich golden hue but was a festive element in most Mughali dishes.
Zard pulao or Meethe Chawal (sweet rice) is a popular dish in North Indian cuisine. The word Zarda is derived from the Persian word “Zard” which means yellow and the dish was popularised by by Mughals sometime between the 17th to 18th centuries. The Ain-I-Akbari of Abul Fazal notes the recipe for Zard Birinj, which is also a rice dish made with sugar, nuts, saffron, ginger and cinnamon.
“Many of the recipes, like the one for zard biranj, used large quantities of raisins and pistachios. Combinations of meat and dry fruit were common in Persian dishes. Cartloads of sultanas, dried apricots, figs, and almonds were imported into India along the new roads that were constructed to facilitate trade throughout northern India, central Asia, and Persia, Curry: a tale of Cook & conquerors,” writes professor and author Lizzie Collingham in her 2007 book, Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors.
The Nawabi Touch
If records are to be believed the zamindars of India, were influenced heavily by the Nawabs of Bangladesh and Murshidabad and the Zard pulao was one of the recipes which was being recreated in the zamindari kitchens in Bengal. In some instances, saffron was being replaced by turmeric since the latter was cheaper and could probably offer a more potent yellow, hence the name ‘Basanti Pulao.'
Salma Hussain in her book Nushka-e-Shahjahani: Pulaos from the Royal Kitchen of Shah Jahan, notes the curious use of sugar in Mughlai pulaos. But as it turns out, many royal Mughal delicacies were actually soaked in sugar syrup, including meat! The technique of using heavy sugar in every meal was particularly popular during Shahjahan’s reign.
In fact, Amba Pulao, another delicacy from Nuskha-i-Shah Jahani, which is a tangy and sweet rice dish made with lamb and mangoes, used roughly 750 grams of sugar per kg of rice, despite the use of mangoes which contributed a potent sweetness to the dish already. The modern Basanti pulao, however, is a pared-down version of its Mughlai ancestor and features mild savoury notes as well, along with some nuttiness. This is what makes this rice delicacy so versatile and pairable with classic Bengali dishes.
