Storia do Mogor 32.5

32.5

They placed in front of the king twelve large basins of gold filled with polas (pulao) of various kinds, and four dishes of different roast meats, six porcelain vessels holding various other meats, and several boxes having their covers ornamented with all sorts of precious stones. Each of those who were on the two sides of the king had the half of what the king himself had placed before him; and the sixty who were further down, away from the king's side, had each of them four basins of pulao. At this banquet wine was absent [13], and although the king knew how to drink a drop or two, on this occasion he refrained as a matter of dignity. When the first course was finished, the second was brought, consisting of much fruit and numerous sweet dishes. The reader will be pleased to learn what pulao means. Pulao is rice cooked with many spices, cloves, cinnamon, mace, pimento, cardamoms, ginger, saffron, raisins, and almonds, to which is added the flesh of sheep, or fowls, or goats, and the whole dressed with plenty of butter. They make these pulaos of many sorts and of different flavours.