Pulao Recipe | Veg Pulao | Vegetable Pulao | Pulav

Method16 steps · about 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse the dry aged basmati with separate preparation water until clear. This is not any measured cooking-water stock.

   Uses 1½ cups basmati rice (aged rice) · separate rice/vegetable rinse and rice soaking water; discard

2. 2

   Step 2: Soak the rinsed rice in separate water for at least 20 minutes. Drain completely and discard the soak water.

   Rice soaking · 20 minUses same dry rice after rinse · separate rice/vegetable rinse and rice soaking water; discard

3. 3

   Step 3: While rice soaks, rinse the same carrots (1 medium), beans, peas, optional potato (1 small), onion (1 medium), chilies and selected mint OR coriander leaves using separate preparation water.

   Uses 1 medium onion (thinly sliced) · 2 green chilies (slit or as needed) · 1 medium carrot (¾ cup chopped) · 4 medium french beans (½ cup chopped to 1 inch) · ½ cup green peas · 1 small potato (cubed (optional)) · 3 tablespoons mint ((pudina, finely chopped) (or coriander leaves)) · separate rice/vegetable rinse and rice soaking water; discard

4. 4

   Step 4: Peel and chop the same washed carrot/optional potato. Trim the same beans and cut to bite-size pieces; reserve with the washed peas.

   Uses same carrot/beans/peas/optional potato

5. 5

   Step 5: Slice the washed onion, slit the chilies and finely chop your chosen mint or coriander. Either keep the chili and herbs separate, with the ginger-garlic paste reserved for step 9, or blend these same chilies and herbs with the measured ginger-garlic paste to make one combined paste for step 9.

   Uses same aromatics ready to prepare · same1½tsp ginger-garlic ONLY if blending with prepared chili/herbs; otherwise reserve for9

6. 6

   Step 6: Choose ordinary-pot, stovetop-pressure or Instant Pot cooking. Heat 2 tbsp oil or ghee, using Sauté for Instant Pot.

   Uses 2 tablespoons oil (or ghee)

7. 7

   Step 7: Add bay leaf (1), shahi jeera (¾ teaspoon) or cumin, cardamoms, cloves (4), cinnamon (2 inch), optional star anise (1) and mace (1), and stone flower (2 pinches) to the hot fat. Reserve the optional ground nutmeg and fennel for step 10.

   Uses same two-tablespoon batch supply · 1 bay leaf (tej patta) · ¾ teaspoon shahi jeera ((caraway seeds) (substitute cumin seeds)) · 4 green cardamoms (elaichi) · 4 cloves (laung) · 2 inch cinnamon (dalchini) · 1 star anise ((chakri phool) (optional, but recommended)) · 1 strand mace (javithri, optional)

8. 8

   Step 8: When the spices sizzle, add the sliced onion from step 5 and sauté until golden. Add the prepared slit chilies here only if you did not blend them into the combined paste.

   Uses same onion/chilies; chilies omitted here if blended · same fat and selected spices

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the reserved 1½ tsp ginger-garlic paste or the combined ginger-chili-herb paste from step 5. Sauté for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

   Uses ONLY if same aromatics were blended instead of separate additions · same cooked base · same1½tsp paste ONLY if not included in combined paste from5

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Add the chopped vegetables and peas from step 4. Add the prepared herbs from step 5 only if they are not already in the combined paste. Add the optional nutmeg and fennel powder and sauté for 2–3 minutes.

    Uses ONLY if herbs were not blended into paste · same washed/chopped supplies · same chosen separate/combined-paste route · 1 pinch nut meg ((jaiphal) (optional)) · ½ teaspoon fennel seeds powder (saunf powder - optional)

11. 11

    Step 11: Add salt to taste and only the cooking water for your chosen method: 2½ cups for stovetop pressure cooking, 2¾ cups for an ordinary pot, or 1¾ cups for Instant Pot. Taste the water and adjust the salt.

    Uses same cooked vegetables/herbs/spices · salt (as needed) · 2½cups cooking water ONLY stovetop pressure · 2¾cups cooking water ONLY ordinary pot · 1¾cups water ONLY Instant Pot

12. 12

    Step 12: For either stovetop method, bring the vegetable-water mixture to a rolling boil, then stir in the soaked, drained rice from step 2. For Instant Pot, add the rice, cancel Sauté and scrape the base clean before sealing in step 14.

    Uses same rice after discarded soaking water · same batch containing only one cooking-water route

13. 13

    Step 13: For an ordinary pot, skip step 14. Cover and cook over low heat until all water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, adding a little extra cooking water only if needed. Turn off, cover and rest for 10–15 minutes.

    Rice rest · 15 minUses ONLY pot route instead pressure alternatives · extra cooking water only if needed for chosen rice in ordinary pot

14. 14

    Step 14: For pressure cooking instead of step 13, choose one method. STOVETOP: cover and cook over medium-high heat until one whistle, then turn off and let pressure fall naturally. INSTANT POT: seal and pressure-cook on high for 5 minutes. Allow 5 minutes natural release, then vent the remainder according to the appliance instructions.

    Uses ONLY stove-pressure or IP instead pot route

15. 15

    Step 15: Open a pressure cooker only after full pressure release, then gently fluff the rice. For an ordinary pot, fluff the rested rice from step 13.

    Uses ONLY if ordinary-pot route used · ONLY selected pressure route after safe full release

16. 16

    Step 16: Serve the finished vegetable pulao hot or warm, with optional separately prepared raita or gravy.

    Uses same selected finished batch