Veg pulao also known as Vegetable pulao is a rich or shahi rice dish in Indian cuisine. It is a simple and flavorful recipe of rice, in which plain cooked rice is mixed with cooked vegetables and spices. Veg pulao looks tempting and  appealing because of the colorful vegetables. The vegetable also increases the nutritional value of the dish. A very good recipe to attract the kids who are choosy for vegetables.

How to make Veg pulao/Vegetable Pulao/Pulao Recipe

Generally rice and vegetables are cooked separately and then mixed together. Some add some spices to the rice while cooking to give aroma and make it more flavorful. I have too added some spices to give a nice flavor and aroma but with a twist, preserving the original color of rice and vegetables.

For preparing this recipe choosing the rice is very important. Use good quality long grain basmati rice with good aroma. Generally beans, carrot, peas cauliflowers are the vegetables used to prepare the pulao. This combination of vegetables has a good balance of color and taste. You can add some vegetables of your choice also.

Try my other rice recipes

Masala Masoor Rice

Spicy Rice or Pulao

Tomato Rice 

 Balancing the proportion of rice and vegetables is very important. It should not happen that one has to hunt for the vegetables while eating. Also the vegetables should not be more than the rice or else it we will feel as we are eating only vegetables. So rice and vegetables in the proportion of  2:1 ratio respectively.

Remember rice after cooking will increase almost double its original quantity while on the other side vegetables on cooking will reduce approximately ¼ to half its original quantity.

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So sometimes take a break of eating daily that plain rice and try this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Long grain Basmati rice – 1 cup
• Diced carrot – ¼ cup
• Chopped beans – ¼ cup
• Chopped cauliflower – ¼ cup
• Capsicum – ¼ cup
• Chopped Green chilli – 1
• Star anise/chakra phool – 1 or 2 petal of a piece
• Stone flower/dagad phool – 1”
• Javitri/mace – ½
• Cardamom/elaichi – 1
• Cumin/jeera – ½ tsp
• Clove – 2 to 4
• Black pepper – ½ tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Water – to cook rice
• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Wash the rice properly. Soak it in water for ½ hour.
• In the mean time roast the whole spices and let it cool down. Remove the seeds from the cardamom. Make a powder of it using mortar and pestle. Add ½ tsp of salt for easily getting it powdered. Stone flower will not break much and remain as pieces, so don’t take more effort. Keep the powder aside.

 

 

• Drain the water from the rice and cook it in boiling water for 10 minutes. Add salt to the water.
• After 10 minutes drain the excess water from the rice. The time for cooking rice will differ as different variety of rice takes different time to cook. So check by pressing it between the fingers, it should be 90% cooked. Rest it will get cook with the steam in it and while cooking with vegetables.

 

• Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadhai. Add all the vegetables except capsicum. Cook on high flame for 5 minutes with stirring.
• Now add capsicum and stir for a minute.
• Season with salt.

 

• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of the spice powder  over the vegetables and mix.
• Also add 2 pinch of the spice powder to the cooked rice and mix gently. This will add more aroma & flavor to the cooked rice.

 

• Add cooked rice to the vegetables and mix gently to avoid breaking of the rice grains.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.

 

• Serve hot with any dal or simply enjoy as it is.