Vegetable Pulao

November 08, 2021

Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Pulao:

One of the most demanding and popular traditional version of mix vegetable rice is pulao. Pulao is quite an old version which was consumed in Goan homes since a long time back. Now this version is replaced by fried rice, biryanis. In Pulao, the rice becomes sticky whereas in a fried rice and biryanis rice becomes non sticky, this is the main reason for people to go for fried rice or biryanis rather then pulao.

However, still in our traditional functions our menu is accompanied by pulao. It could be a mix vegetable pulao, mushroom pulao, peas pulao etc it's each one's preferences or choices of the vegetables to be incorporated into your pulao and the product is named accordingly.

On my blog I have posted various varieties of rice preparation which I usually prepare occassionally or on any Sunday's. It's actually a one pot dish which saves your time and energy in preparing any other side dishes. So today I thought I shall post our most popular weekly preparation of simplest vegetable pulao.

Ingredients and method:

I am going to mention ingredients in larger quantity. I took 4 cups of rice. You may increase or decrease the quantity of your ingredients accordingly. I have taken normal regular rice this time. You can take basmati. But for pulao small grain normal rice goes well. For a fried rice or biryanis, it's mandatory to take basmati rice.

Wash 4 cups of rice thrice in water and then soak it in water for minimum 30 minutes.

Chop your vegetables into fine pieces. I have taken just 2 varieties of vegetables- 2 carrots, handful of beans. Chop 3 medium size onions into long slits. Chop 4 garlic bulbs into fine pieces, 1 tomato into fine pieces, and few finely chopped coriander leaves.

In a big vessel, add 2-3 tbsp of oil, add spices like 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, 1 javitri, 1 black cardamom, 2 green cardamom, 1 star anise. Saute well. Add chopped onions. Saute till light brown. Add 2 long slitted green chillies and chopped garlic. Saute well. Then add a tsp of ginger garlic paste. Saute. Add tomatoes and saute well. Add chopped vegetables- carrot and beans. Saute well. Add salt as per taste.

Now drain the rice on sieve and add. Saute well. Meanwhile keep 6 cups of water for boiling. (For 1 cup of rice-1 1/2 cup of water). This measurement is same for regular rice or basmati rice.

Once water boils add it in the vessel. Stir well. Add any tastemaker if you prefer or skip. Sometimes I add a veg Maggie cube or a tsp of biryani masala just for flavour. You can avoid. In our traditional method, they do not add any additional tastemaker. So it's your choice. Then add 2 tsp of ghee or little butter, and half lemon juice. When water will boil vigorously, keep the flame to medium and close the lid. Check after 2 mins. If u feel water is almost absorbed, make the flame to low, close and let it cook on dum. Keep a heavy stone on top of lid. After 2 mins, switch off the flame and keep it as it is for another 15 minutes, do not open. Your rice will get cooked on dum and will absorb all flavours of spices.

After 15 minutes, open and you are done with your vegetable pulao. With the help of a fork or spoon, slowly seperate each grain of rice by mixing rice. This method makes your rice nonsticky.