Spicy Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Pulao is easy and quick one pot meal on a lovely spring day. I love spring and hope the weather stays good for the next few days as well. This pulao is a regular quick lunch box recipe that I pack for my husband. When I pressure cook the pulao my veggies gets soft, but I always wonder how it's crunchy in the restaurants. Then I found the trick, pressure cooking softens the vegetables, so I made the pulao in a kadai, the veggies were crunchy and so flavorful as in the restaurants. I loved it & it was so yummy :) 

                          

Ingredients 

• Basmati rice - 1cup 
• Chopped veggies like carrot, beans, green pea - 1 1/4 cups
• Cauliflower - 4-5 florets 
• Onion (finely sliced) - 1
• Cilantro (chopped) - 2tbsp
• Water - 1 1/2 cup
• Salt as needed 
• Ghee - 1tbsp
• Oil - 1tbsp

To grind

• Green chillies (slit into two) - 3
• Garlic cloves - 4
• Mint - few 
• Cilantro (chopped)- few
• Fennel seeds - 1tsp
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon - 1 stick 

To temper 

• Jeera - 1tsp 
• Bay leaf - 1 

Method

• Soak basmati rice in hot water atleast for half an hour.
• Grind the items given under "to grind" table with little water into smooth paste. 
• Heat kadai with oil:ghee and add jeera, bay leaf.
• When jeera splutters. Add onion and fry till transparent pink color in medium flame, then add the ground paste.  Fry till raw smell goes. 

                          

• Then add veggies and saute in medium flame for 2 minutes.
• Add the rice drained from water. Mix well. 
• Now add salt and water, bring to boiling point. 
• Close the kadai lid and cook in low flame for about 15-20 minutes.
• Once done switch off the flame and leave it undisturbed for about 10 minutes. 

                            

• Now open and fluff the pulao with a fork carefully without breaking the rice.
• Vegetable pulao is ready to be served with rich gravy or raita of your choice or even chips. 

                                    

Tips

• Soaking rice in hot water will give less water consumption while cooking.
• You can also add coconut milk or milk instead of water.
• Adding milk will give richness to the rice. 
• You can also add sweet corn.