Aromatic and delicious medley of vegetables, spices, and rice.
PREP TIME: 40-50 Minutes
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cups Jashn basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
- ½ to ¾ cup cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup Carrots, chopped
- ½ - ¾ cup Potatoes, chopped
- 1/3 cup green peas
- ¼ cup French beans
- ¼ cup capsicum, chopped
- ¼ cup sliced baby corn
- Note: You can add vegetables of your choice
- 1 tsp caraway seeds or cumin seeds
- 5-6 black pepper seeds
- 1 Indian bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 3-4 green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 piece of mace
- 1 star anise
- 1 piece of stone flower
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander (for garnishing)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 3 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium sized tomato, chopped
- 1 to 1.5 inches ginger
- 4 to 5 small to medium garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 green chillies
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves or cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves – optional
- ¼ tsp lemon juice – optional
- 2.5 to 3 cups water or vegetable stock
- Salt as required
METHOD
Preparing Rice & Vegetables
- Wash rice a few times. Soak them in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and keep them aside.
- Rinse, peel, and chop the vegetables.
- Crush chopped ginger, green chillies, and garlic to a paste using mortar and pestle or use a grinder to make a smooth paste.
Frying Onions & Spices
- Take a deep pan (preferably thick-bottomed) and heat ghee or oil. Add all the whole spices as listed above. Fry until they splutter.
- Add chopped onions and sauté on a low to medium flame till they turn golden brown. Then add the ginger-garlic-chili paste and saute for a few seconds till their aroma vanishes.
- Add tomatoes and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame.
- Once tomatoes are done, add all the chopped veggies, saute for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium flame.
- Finally, add rice and saute for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium. Mix gently and ensure the rice gets well coated with the oil.
- Add water and some lemon juice. Mix and stir. Sprinkle salt and stir again.
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Cover tightly with a lid and let the rice cook on a low flame so that the water is absorbed.
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Keep checking in between a few times to ensure the water is enough. You can use a fork and gently stir the rice. You may need to add less or more water depending on the quality of rice.
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When the rice is cooked and turned fluffy, let it stand for 5 minutes.
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Garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves. You can also top it with fried onions or fried cashews.
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Mix veg pulao is ready to serve. It pairs perfectly with raita or curry.