Receta Vegetable Pulao
An easy lunch box recipe that can be put together quickly. Who ever discovered these One Pot Meals, Hats off. “Oru Periya O Podu”. You do not know what a great service you have been of, to us people. It is a blessing in disguise. This is what I made for Yesterday’s lunch. Mornings are always hectic and speaking of Monday mornings, Don’t tell me. The kids just refuse to budge no matter what. I even sink to bribing them to pull them out of their blankets and these easy to put together meals always make Monday mornings bearable and prevents our blood pressure from shooting up.
You’ll need:
- Basmati Rice – 1+1/2 cup
- Mixed Vegetables – 3/4 cup
- Onion – 1/4 cup
- Ginger – ½ inch piece
- Garlic Pods – 3
- Green Chillies - 3
- Cardamom – 2
- Cloves – 2
- Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
- Cashew nuts – 5 to 6
- Aji-no-moto – 1 pinch (optional)
- Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
- Water – 3 cups
- Oil / Ghee – 3 tsp
- Salt – to taste
Method:
Chop the onion into juliennes. Slit the green chillies. Pound together ginger and garlic to a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle. I used a carrots, French beans, cauliflowers and fresh peas. Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15 min -1/2 hour.
Heat a pressure cooker with oil / ghee. Add spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and roast till the aroma arises. Add the onion and sauté till it turns pink.
Now in goes the pounded ginger, garlic and slit green chillies. Sauté for another min. Now add the mixed vegetables and sauté along with a pinch of aji-no-moto, if using till the vegetables are well coated with oil.
Now add the soaked basmati rice, black pepper powder and salt and mix well. Add 3 cups of water and cook for 2 whistles. Release pressure immediately and open the lid. See here to find out how to fluff Basmati rice. Fluff the rice and serve hot.
Notes:
Using Aji-no-moto aka. Chinese salt is optional. But using will give the entire rice a good tangy taste.
Instead of using ginger and garlic pods separately you can also use ginger garlic paste.