Muslim-style Assamese beef pulao (Bhuna pulao)

One of the least known cuisines in India is Assamese muslim-influenced cuisine. This is a tale of migration, royal kingdoms, trade and cultures coming together over centuries.

The first Muslims arrived in the Assam region in the 13th century as part of the Turkish-Afghan armies during the expansion of the Delhi Sultanate to eastern territories. The expansion was unsuccessful, but some warriors and artisans chose to settle in the region. They carried with them traditional recipes that formed the basis for the cuisine today. They initiated a robust trade with the Muslim rulers of the Bengals. They were introduced to new ingredients, techniques, food habits, and Sufi influences in the region, enriching the cuisine and expanding the repertoire of dishes.

The local Ahom Kings, who were very powerful, ruled for 600 years and employed the Muslims as artisans and cooks, firmly establishing this cuisine within the region. The cuisine flourished and became a perfect melting pot of dishes and ingredients, including rice pulaos, meat, ghee, kebabs, and sweets from the Mughal culture, in harmony with bamboo shoots, black sesame, lemon leaves, and other local ingredients.

During the British colonial period, large-scale migration of Muslims occurred from West Bengal, now Bangladesh, to the Assam region. They brought with them local dishes that have been incorporated into the local cuisine today. These include hilsa fish and other fish dishes, pitha (rice cakes), and the abundant use of mustard oil and green chillies as part of their cuisine. They also merged their cuisine with that of the regional tribes of Assam, including the Bodo, Raba, and Tiwa, among others.

I had this dish a few years ago when I first visited my sister-in-law, Sameena's, home. It is a simple dish and one that has been distinctly remembered. On this visit, I asked her cook, Morami Didi, to please teach me the dish and give me the recipe.

I have always loved this dish, so simple in flavour, more like a Turkish pilaf than a Lucknowi biryani. The meat is tender, and the flavour is from caramelised onions. Traditionally, this dish is made with beef; mutton is a suitable substitute. The lightness of the rich pulao is magical, the flavour fleeting, and yet you remember it so distinctly.

This is a dish made during the celebration of Eid and can be made in either of two methods. The first is the recipe with meat, which is below. Alternatively, it can be made as a side without meat to complement roasted meats and kebabs. Either way I love this dish.

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Ingredients:

For the meat:

4 tablespoons oil

1-inch cinnamon stick

4 cloves

1 bay leaf

4 green cardamom pods

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon pepper

Salt, to taste

10 oz. bone-in beef or mutton pieces, cut into 2-inch pieces

Water, as needed

For the rice:

1/4 cup oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1-inch cinnamon stick

4 cloves

1 bay leaf

4 green cardamom pods

3 large onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon pepper

3 cups Tulsi Joha rice

Salt, to taste

1 yablespoon ghee

Start by making the meat korma. Heat the oil in a pot or a pressure cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf, and cardamom, and fry for 30 seconds, until the bay leaf is a shade darker.

Add the onion and fry over medium heat until it is lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and fry until the ginger no longer smells raw, about 2 minutes.

Add the pepper, salt and meat, and cook the meat on high, searing the pieces until they are browned on all sides. Be careful not to burn the onions and spices.

The meat will give out water, and you will have a thick sauce.

To cook in a pressure cooker, seal the meat and give it eight whistles. Allow the pressure cooker to release naturally. The meat should be very soft. To cook on the stove, add 2 cups of water and simmer gently for 2 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. In both cooking styles, there should be very little sauce remaining, just enough to keep the meat moist. Set aside.

To cook the rice. Heat the oil in a pot or a pressure cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf, and cardamom, and fry for 30 seconds, until the bay leaf is slightly darker.

Add the onion and fry over medium heat until it is deeply caramelised, about 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and fry until the ginger no longer smells raw, about 2 minutes.

Add the pepper, rice, and salt and cook until the rice is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the meat korma and mix well. Add the tablespoon of ghee and mix it in. Add about 6 cups of water; it should come up to the first digit of your index finger from the top of the rice. Cook with the lid on, or pressure cook for 2 whistles, until the rice is cooked through but retains a bite.

Serve hot.