Veg Pulao Recipe (Mix Vegetable Pulav)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
429 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Veg Pulao Recipe (Mix Vegetable Pulav)
Description
This Veg Pulao recipe uses soaked basmati rice combined with a medley of vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, bell peppers, and baby corn. Whole spices including cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and others are fried in ghee to release fragrance before adding sliced onions and a ginger-garlic-green chili paste. Tomatoes and vegetables are then sautéed briefly to build flavor.
The soaked rice is added and lightly sautéed to coat each grain with fat, which helps maintain separation during cooking. Water or vegetable stock is added, and the rice is cooked until tender and fluffy, with the spices permeating the grains. The finished dish is garnished with chopped coriander or mint leaves, enhancing freshness and color.
This pulao works well as a standalone vegetarian main or paired with yogurt-based sides, curries, or pickles. The variety of vegetables adds nutritional value and textural contrast. Soaking the rice and toasting it prior to cooking promote well-separated grains and a pleasing mouthfeel.
Adjust the water amount depending on rice type and cooking method. Whole spices may be omitted or varied based on preference. Using good quality aged basmati rice improves aroma and grain length.
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 potato chopped
- ¼ cup carrot 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 onion or 1 large onion, sliced, thinly sliced
- ½ cup tomato or 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
- 1 to 1.5 inches ginger - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
- 4 to 5 garlic small to medium sized) - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle, cloves
- 1 to 2 green chili or 1 teaspoon chopped green chili pepper - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
- 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves (cilantro) - chopped
- 2 tablespoons mint chopped, optional, leaves
- 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 black pepper optional, whole
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 4 cloves
- 3 to 4 green cardamom
- 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 Coriander leaves or mint leaves, chopped
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.
Notes
- Use aged or parboiled basmati rice for best texture and aroma.
- Soak rice for 20-30 minutes before cooking to improve grain separation and texture.
- Avoid adding too much water; adjust according to rice type and method.
- Toast rice gently in oil or ghee before adding water to keep grains separate and fluffy.
- Add lemon juice to enhance fluffiness of cooked rice.
- Vegetable choice is flexible; mushrooms can be included for added texture and umami.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 429 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 429kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 75g | 25% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 25mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 68mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 501mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1839IU | 37% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 2mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 32mg | 36% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 11µg | |
| Calcium | 74mg | 7% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 46µg | |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
| Magnesium | 51mg | 13% |
| Phosphorus | 149mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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