Pulao Recipe | Vegetable Pulao (Veg Pulav)

4.95 from 100 votes

Pulao Recipe | Vegetable Pulao (Veg Pulav)

Veg Pulao or Pulav (also called Pilaf) is an easy vegetarian one-pot rice dish made with basmati rice, mixed vegetables, whole spices, and herbs. You can use vegetables like peas, potatoes, and green beans. This simple pulao recipe is flavorful and works well as a complete meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For soaking rice

1.5 cups basmati rice - 300 grams, rinsed & soaked for 20 to 30 minutes
water - as required for soaking

Vegetables

½ to ¾ cup cauliflower - chopped
½ to ¾ cup potatoes - chopped
¼ cup carrots - chopped
⅓ cup green peas - fresh or frozen
¼ cup green beans (french beans) - chopped
¼ cup green bell pepper (capsicum) - chopped, optional
¼ cup baby corn - sliced or chopped, optional

Other ingredients

3 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 cup thinly sliced onions or 1 large onion, sliced
½ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
1 to 1.5 inches ginger - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
4 to 5 garlic cloves (small to medium sized) - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
1 to 2 green chillies or 1 teaspoon chopped green chili pepper - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
3 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro) - chopped
2 tablespoons mint leaves - chopped, optional
¼ teaspoon lemon juice - optional
2.5 to 3 cups water or vegetable stock *check notes below for details. I added 3 cups of water
salt as required

Whole spices

1 teaspoon cumin seeds or 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
5 to 6 whole black pepper - optional
1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
4 cloves
3 to 4 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom - optional
1 small piece of mace - optional
1 small-sized star anise - optional
1 inch cinnamon
1 small piece of stone flower (dagad phool or patthar ke phool) - optional

For garnish

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves or mint leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparation

Rinse rice till the water runs clear of starch and become transparent while rinsing.
Soak the rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain all the water and keep the soaked rice aside.
Rinse, peel and chop the vegetables.
Crush chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies to a paste in a mortar-pestle or grind them in a small mixer or grinder with a bit of water.

Frying spices and sautéing onions

In a deep thick bottomed pot or pan, heat ghee or oil and fry all the whole spices mentioned above, till the oil becomes fragrant and the spices splutter.
Add the onions and saute them till golden. Saute the onions on a low to medium-low heat and stir often for even browning.
Add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute for some seconds till their raw aroma goes away.
Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium-low heat.
Add all the chopped veggies, green peas and sauté again for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium-low heat.
Add rice and sauté gently for 1 to 2 minutes on a low or medium-low heat, so that the rice gets well coated with the oil.
Add water and lemon juice. Mix and stir.
Season with salt and stir again.

Making Vegetable Pulao

Cover tightly and let the rice cook on a low heat, till the water is absorbed and the rice is well cooked.
Check in between a few times to check if the water is enough. Depending on the quality of rice, you may need to add less or more water.
With a fork too, you can gently stir the rice without breaking the rice grains.
Once the rice grains are cooked, fluff and let the rice stand for 5 minutes.
Serve pulao hot with some side salad, sliced onion and lemon wedges or raita. You can also garnish it with chopped coriander or mint leaves or fried cashews or fried onions.

Video

Notes

Rice quality: Use fragrant, long-grain basmati rice for best results. Aged basmati works especially well. You can also use parboiled basmati or other non-sticky rice varieties that you are familiar with.
Soaking: Soak the rice for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps the grains cook evenly and stay separate. If you skip soaking, rinse well and add a little more water while cooking.
Water quantity: Do not add excess water, especially if the rice is soaked. Too much water can make the pulao mushy.
Sautéing rice: After adding rice to the pan, sauté for 1 to 2 minutes on low to medium heat so the grains are coated with oil or ghee. This helps keep them separate. You can also add a little lemon juice for fluffier rice.
Rice to water ratio: A general ratio is 1:2 (rice to water), but this can vary depending on the rice type and cooking method. Soaked rice needs less water, while older or parboiled rice may need more. Use a rice you are familiar with for best results.
Cooking method: When using a pressure cooker, add slightly less water as steam helps cook the rice. The exact amount can vary with the size of the cooker.
Vegetables: Add vegetables of your choice. Common options include carrots, peas, beans and cauliflower. You can also add mushrooms for a deeper, slightly meaty flavor.

Nutrition