Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Pulao is a rice-based dish made with various spices, basmati rice, vegetables and herbs. It is typically served with raita or any gravy and makes a comforting meal. The aroma of herbs like coriander and mint make this dish very special. This spicy one pot meal, with bursting fragrance, is a crowd pleaser and won’t bore you anytime. To cook a dish loaded with vegetables and yet enjoyable is often difficult. It is perfect for a formal dinner or for gatherings and parties because of its simplicity. It is normally prepared with butter or ghee, but I avoid both of them and cook with regular vegetable oil. Feel free to use which ever suits your taste. Once you have the ginger garlic paste ready, it is quick and simple to prepare Vegetable Pulao.

This is a great authentic recipe of a traditional aromatic spicy vegetable pulao, adjusted to fit your diet without compromising on the taste. When you cook this pulao, I bet your house will be scented with the flavour of masalas. You can feel the smell in your hands even after you finish eating :). Isn’t that tempting? It’s easily adaptable, so feel free to give it your own spin.

Step-by-Step process in making Vegetable Pulao:

Get ready with all the ingredients. Soak rice for 20min in water, wash and drain. Slice onions and slit chilies lengthwise. Dice the vegetables to bite sized even pieces. Wash coriander and mint leaves well in water to remove any sand.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and season with cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and cardamom. Fry for a few seconds till you smell the aroma of spices. Now add onions, chilies and sauté for 2 minutes till they are translucent.

Add mixed vegetables, ginger garlic paste,  and sauté for 2 minutes till the raw smell vanishes. I have used potato, peas and carrots, but you can include other vegetables of your choice. I normally prefer to use only these vegetables. Now add rice, mint leaves, garam masala powder and stir for a min.

Transfer the contents from the pan to the rice cooker bowl and add required amount of water, stir well and adjust salt. Turn on the rice cooker. The rice is ready when the indicator light comes to warm. This takes around 20 to 25 minutes. I always prefer to use a rice cooker, as it’s simple to get the proper amount of rice and water into the pot to ensure cooking success each and every time. It cooks every grain of rice to perfection, without being either too firm or too soft, and never sticking. In my opinion, this is very convenient, but you can use the method you prefer to make this Vegetable pulao.

Hot steaming aromatic Vegetable Pulao is ready to be served with onion raita or any side dish of your choice. It goes well with wide range of Indian gravies. My suggestion is to try with chicken fry. Garnish with coriander and serve.

Print Recipe

Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Pulao is a rice-based dish made with various spices, basmati rice, vegetables and herbs. It is typically served with raita or any gravy and makes a comforting meal.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 to 5

Author: Padma

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil you can also combine and use 1inch cube butter and 1 Tablespoon oil
• For seasoning:
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 8 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Cardamoms
• Other Ingredients:
• One medium onion sliced lengthwise
• 5 to 6 green chilies slit lengthwise
• 3 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
• 1 cup of evenly diced mixed vegetables I have used potato, peas and carrots
• ½ cup mint leaves
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• 2 cups Rice soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained
• 4 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped coriander

Instructions

• Heat oil in pan on medium heat and add all the dry ingredients under the heading “For seasoning”. Fry for a few seconds till you can smell the aroma of spices. Now add onions, chilies and sauté for 2 minutes till they are translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste, mixed vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes till raw smell goes. Then add drained rice, mint leaves, garam masala powder and stir for a min.
• Transfer the contents to the rice cooker bowl and add required amount of water, adjust salt and stir. Turn on the rice cooker.
• The rice is done once the electric rice cooker indicator light comes to warm.
• Hot steaming aromatic Vegetable Pulao is ready to be served with onion raita or any side dish of your choice. Garnish with coriander.

Notes

Soak rice as soon as you start the process to save time.
Spice levels can be adjusted with green chilies.
You can also increase the quantity of vegetables, if you wish to.
Reduce quantity of mint if you don’t like its strong smell.
Refer to previous posts on ginger garlic paste and garam masala powder.
If using an Indian pressure cooker with whistles, you can do the process directly in the cooker, close lid and turn off heat after 2 or 3 whistles.