Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable pulao is slightly different from vegetable biriyani. Veg Pulao is an easy to prepare dish. It is one of the very ideal ways to get some veggies in our diet. My 4 yr old son loves the colourful veg pulao, the moment I serve him, I could see all the vegetables vanished from his plate (this means, he eats the veggies but leaves the rice behind). Ah well! He will learn soon to eat the pulao with rice.

There goes my recipe for veg pulao. Try it out and remember to share me with your experiences.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Water – 3 cups

Green peas – 1/2 cup

Carrots – 3 (cut into 1" pieces)

Beans – ½ cup (cut into 1" pieces)

Potato – 1 (cut into 12 big pieces)

Tomato – 1 (chopped roughly)

Onion – 2 sliced

Green chillies – 5 slit

Ginger – 2 tsp

Garlic – 2 tsp

Mint leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Cardamom – 3

Cinnamon – 2″ piece

Cloves – 3

Snauf – 1 tsp

Bay leaves – 2

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 4 tsp

Cashewnuts – few for garnishing

Paneer – few for garnishing

Method

Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for at least 30 minutes. 

Grind cinnamon, snauf, cloves, cardamom, green chillies, mint leaves, ginger, and garlic to a coarse paste.

Heat the oil and 2 tsp ghee together in a pressure cooker, when its warm add bay leaves, the ground spice paste and fry for a minute.

Then add the onions and salt fry till the onions are light brown. 

Now add all the vegetables and sauté for about 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and ½ cup water mix well and let it cook for about 10 minutes in low heat.

Strain the rice and add to the vegetables.  Mix until rice is combined with vegetables but be very gentle as you don't want broken rice pulao.

Pour the remaining water over it, mix and check for salt.  When it starts boiling close the pressure cooker lid and let it cook for two quick whistles or one long whistle. Switch off the stove and let it cool.

While the rice cooking, add remaining ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and paneer until golden brown.

Garnish the rice with fried paneer and cashews. Serve it with capsicum raita or any side dish of your choice.