Veg pulao recipe - healthy and most popular rice dish. This vegetable pulao is mild, aromatic, flavorful and loaded with veggies.
The method of making veg pulao is similar to how I make my plain rice. The only difference is veggies and garam masala is added here. You can check out the detailed post of how to cook rice. I have shared many tips to get perfect rice.
Each and every rice grain is separated in this pulao. This method or way of cooking works like a charm for me. I make any kind of rice recipe by following this method. It is quick and one pot method. So you don’t have to wash multiple pots and pans.
I have shred few tips below after the stepwise photos, don't forget to read those.
This is my go to pulao recipe whenever I don’t want to cook elaborate meal (dal, rice, roti, sabzi). You have busy work day and you want to take break from cooking. Make this veg pulav. While pulao is cooking, make raita to go with it. Within 45 minutes, your dinner is ready. It is much better and healthier than picking up the to-go food from outside.
There are many variations in making it.
-- Spicy version of veg pulao
-- Made in pressure cooker
-- Coconut milk veg pulao (Coming soon)
Raita recipes goes well with this vegetable pulao
Onion tomato raita // Boondi raita // Palak raita // Cucumber raita // Mint raita
How to make veg pulao recipe (Step by step photos):
1) Wash rice under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak in enough water for 20 minutes.
2) After 20 minutes, drain the water.
3) While rice is soaking, let’s do the prep work. Chop all the veggies and keep it aside.
4) Also keep whole spices ready.
5) Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle.
6) Then add whole spices (cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom and bay leaf). Saute for a minute. You will get nice aroma of spices.
7) Add onions.
8) Cook for 2 minutes. Or till they get translucent.
9) Add ginger paste, garlic paste and green chilies.
10) Mix well and saute for a minute. Or till the raw smell of garlic goes away.
11) Add tomato, cook for a minute.
12) Add rest of the veggies (carrots, green beans, potato, peas). Mix well.
13) Add salt, pepper and garam masala.
14) Stir well and cook for a minute.
15) Add lemon juice.
16) Also add rice.
17) Mix well and saute the rice and veggies for 1-2 minutes.
18) Add water.
19) Crank the heat to high. Let it come to a boil.
20) Once it starts boiling, LOWER the heat to lowest possible. Cover with the lid. Let it cook for 17-18 minutes. Do not peek or open the lid while it is cooking. Put the timer for 17 minutes. meantime do other tasks. e.g. make raita or salad to go with it or roast papad while pulao is cooking.
21) After 17 minutes, turn off the stove. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes. Then open the lid.
22) Fluff up the rice with fork and mix gently. So the rice grains do not break.
Serving suggestion: Serve veg pulao with raita or pickle. It tastes good with kadhi as well. Many prefers to have it with dal fry or dal tadka. For some crunch have some roasted papad on side.
Notes:
- You can double or triple the recipe. Always follow the 1:2 ratio of rice and water. Meaning you need 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
- Once pulao is cooked. It is important to let it rest for 5 minutes covered. With in this 5 minutes rice grains will firm up. So they will not get mushy when you fluff up or stir.
- You can add chopped coriander leaves or mint leaves at the end. It gives very refreshing flavors.
- In some restaurants, they add cashews and raisins as well. First lightly fry them in oil, remove it to a small pate. Then continue making pulao. Mix cashews and raisins, once pulao is ready.
- The mixture of vegetables are up to you. remove any vegetable that you don’t like. Add other veggies of your choice. The bottom line is, you need about 1 - 1 ½ cups of veggies for 1 cup of rice.
- You can add corn, baby corn, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower.
- Instead of garam masala, try adding ready made pulao masala or biryani masala.
Veg pulao recipe
Ingredients
Whole spices to add into tempering:
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cloves
- 2-3 Black peppercorns
- 2 Green cardamoms
- 1 Bay leaf
For vegetable pulao recipe:
- 1 cup Long grain rice or basmati rice I used basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ½ cup Red onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
- 1 Green chili chopped finely
- ¼ cup Tomato chopped
- ¼ cup Carrot chopped
- ¼ cup Green beans (French beans) chopped
- ¼ cup Green peas
- ¼ cup Potatoes chopped
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
Preparation:
- Wash rice under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak in enough water for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, drain the water.
- While rice is soaking, let’s do the prep work. Chop all the veggies and keep it aside.
- Also keep whole spices ready.
Making veg pulao recipe:
- Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle.
- Then add whole spices. Saute for a minute. You will get nice aroma of spices.
- Add onions. Cook for 2 minutes or till they get translucent.
- Add ginger paste, garlic paste and green chilies. Mix well and saute for a minute.
- Add tomato, cook for a minute.
- Add rest of the veggies (carrots, green beans, potato, peas). Mix well.
- Add salt, pepper and garam masala. Stir well and cook for a minute.
- Add lemon juice and soaked rice.
- Mix well and saute the rice and veggies for 1-2 minutes.
- Add water. Crank the heat to high. Let it come to a boil.
- Once it starts boiling, LOWER the heat to lowest possible. Cover with the lid. Let it cook for 17-18 minutes. Do not peek or open the lid while it is cooking. Put the timer for 17 minutes.
- After 17 minutes, turn off the stove. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes. Then open the lid.
- Fluff up the rice with fork and mix gently.
Hi Kanan , i have made many of your recipes and am very pleased with the turn out. I want to know when i have washed and sundried my green mug and now when i want to sprout them they don't really sprout, whereas previously i use to just clean and store them and when ready to do the sprouting then i would wash and soak and i use to get beautiful long sprouts. Can u advise what can i do because with the washed and stored it seems this is the problem because i have tried it twice and its done the same whereas previously it was okay.
Thanks
Chandra
Nice to know that recipes turned out good.
Actually I have never wash and sun dried the beans. I usually follow this - pick any stones or dirt, then store in jar. When ready to sprout, I just wash, soak and sprout. So not sure that sun drying is the real issue or not.