No Indian meal is complete without rice. We make variety of rice dishes like pulao (pilaf), biryani, jeera rice, curd (yogurt) rice. You may have seen my hariyali (green) pulao recipe. This one is vegetable pulao which is not spicy. I have added whole spices and salt. This is a very easy and simple dish but it goes great with any Indian curry.
When you are buying basmati rice, always buy old rice, in this case “old is gold“. Older the rice, it will cook to long grain like broken noodles. I keep few bags of basmati rice in my pantry, so I never have to use the one I buy immediately. I am also posting on how to cook perfect rice for pulao or biryani.
My family loves anything made from rice from appetizer to sweet. I prepare the dishes like rice fritter, biryani, fried rice, dosa, dhoka, chakri and rice pudding to name a few dishes using rice as a main ingredient.
This dish serves 3 people.
Please note that you can see printable version at the end. You need to use chrome browser to print or save the copy of the recipe.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cup basmati rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup fresh/frozen green peas
1/2 cup fresh/frozen fava or soy beans
1 carrot thinly sliced
1/2 cup green/French beans chopped
2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter or oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cardamom
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaves
Salt to taste
15-20 fried split cashews for garnishing
Procedure:
1. To cook perfect rice, wash rice thoroughly 2-3 times and soak in water for 30 mins. Then drain all the water before cooking.
2. In a heavy bottom pot, add 2 tbsp ghee. Heat this on medium, then add cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf. Sauté on low to medium heat stirring continuous for about 30 seconds to a minute. Do not let spices burn.
3. Then add drained rice to the pot and cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes stirring continuous. You will notice that rice starts to stick to the bottom, now add veggies and saute for 1 more minute. Then add 3 cups water and salt. Always remember the ratio of 1 rice to 1½ cup water. If rice is old then it may take some more water but new rice needs less water. Mix well and bring it to boil without lid. Once water starts boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot with lid. Let it cook on lower to medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until you notice all water evaporates. When I make plain rice, it takes about 12-13 minutes as I don’t prefer over cooked rice. When rice is almost cooked, turn off the heat and keep the lid on. You need to slightly under cook the rice and turn off the heat. It continues to cook until lid is on.
4. After about 10 minutes. you can open the lid and check if rice has cooked. You can separate cooked rice with fork so you will get all grains separated and not sticky rice.
5. Garnish pulao with fried cashew. You can also add slightly fried raisins. Serve this with any Indian curry, raita or kadhi. It is also pairs great with tomato soup.
You will notice the aroma of basmati rice roasted in ghee and flavours of cardamom and other spice, will light up kitchen. If you are making Jain version, please exclude carrots. Serve in your next party or take it for potluck. I am sure everyone will enjoy it!!
Also let me know if you have any questions regarding the dish.
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Vegetable Pulao
Ingredients:
2 cup basmati rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup fresh/frozen green peas
1/2 cup fresh/frozen fava or soy beans
1 carrot thinly sliced
1/2 cup green/french beans chopped
2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter or oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cardamom
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaves
Salt to taste
15-20 fried split cashews for garnishing
Procedure:
1. To cook perfect rice, wash rice thoroughly 2-3 times and soak in water for 30 mins. Then drain all the water before cooking.
2. In a heavy bottom pot, add 2 tbsp ghee. Heat this on medium, then add cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf. Sauté on low to medium heat stirring continuous for about 30 seconds to a minute. Do not let spices burn.
3. Then add drained rice to the pot and cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes stirring continuous. You will notice that rice starts to stick to the bottom, now add veggies and saute for 1 more minute. Then add 3 cups water and salt. Always remember the ratio of 1 rice to 1 1/2 cup water. If rice is old then it may take some more water but new rice needs less water. Mix well and bring it to boil without lid. Once water starts boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot with lid. Let it cook on lower to medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until you notice all water evaporates. When I make plain rice, it takes about 12-13 minutes as I don’t prefer over cooked rice. When rice is almost cooked, turn off the heat and keep the lid on. You need to slightly under cook the rice and turn off the heat. It continues to cook until lid is on.
4. After about 10 minutes. you can open the lid and check if rice has cooked. You can separate cooked rice with fork so you will get all grains separated and not sticky rice.
5. Garnish pulao with fried cashew. You can also add slightly fried raisins. Serve this with any Indian curry, raita or kadhi. It is also pairs great with tomato soup.
You will notice the aroma of basmati rice roasted in ghee and flavours of cardamom and other spice, will light up kitchen. If you are making Jain version, please exclude carrots. Serve in your next party or take it for potluck. I am sure everyone will enjoy it!!
Bhavna's Food Journey 