Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients

main ingredients for veg pulao:

• 2 cups long grained or basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 or 2.5 cups of chopped mixed veggies (cauliflower, carrots, green peas, potatoes, broccoli, corn kernels, baby corn, french beans )
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lahsun paste)
• 1 green chili, chopped (hari mirch)
• 1 medium size tomato (optional), chopped
• 4.5 cups water or veg stock (check notes below for details)
• 2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee
• salt as required

whole spices for veg pulao:

• 1 tsp cumin or shah jeera/caraway seeds
• 1 bay leaf or tej patta or tamalpatra
• 2-3 cloves or laung
• 2 green cardamoms or hari elaichi or choti elaichi
• 1 black cardamom or badi elaichi
• 1 pinch of mace or jayitri or javitri,
• 1 small star anise or chakriphool
• 1 inch cinnamon or dal chini

Instructions

1. in a deep pot, heat oil and fry all the whole spices till the oil becomes fragrant.
2. add the onions and brown them.
3. add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
4. add the tomatoes & green chilies and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
5. add all the veggies and saute again for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
6. drain the rice and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame, so that the rice gets well coated with the oil.
7. pour water and stir.
8. season with salt.
9. cover tightly and let the rice cook on a low flame, till the water is absorbed and the rice is well cooked.
10. fluff and let the rice stand for 5 minutes.
11. serve the veg pulao hot with some side salad, sliced onion & lemon wedges or raita.