North Indian Vegetable Pulao

Pulao is the most popular Indian rice dish. Most of the party menus have pulao as one of the rice dishes. If you ask any GSB family, their prime dish is pulao. On a funny note, pulao has become Kuladevata for most of the Indians.

Simple North Indian Pulao can be prepared without elaborate process. South Indian pulao has a masala to be prepared and is slightly lengthy process. Here is my recipe for a simple North Indian Vegetable Pulao.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
Water - 2 Cups
Salt - To taste
Cleaned/Cut vegetables(Carrot, Green peas, Beans, Cauliflower) - 2 cups
Tomatoes - 2 sliced
Onion - 1 Chopped
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 Tsp
Green Chillies - 2 slit lengthwise
Bay leaf - 1
Clove - 4
Cinnamon - A small stick
Cardamom - 4
Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp(Optional)
Red Chilli powder - 1 Tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric powder
Lemon - 1/2
Ghee/oil - 3 Tsp

Method:
Wash and soak Basmati rice in 2 cups water for 15 mins.
Heat ghee/oil in a thick bottomed vessel.
Add the dry spices and roast.
Add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry till raw smell disappears.
Add pepper powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder along with the green chillies, tomatoes and cut vegetables.
Fry well. Add the water used for soaking basmati rice and salt to taste.
Bring to a boil and squeeze lemon. Now add the soaked rice and gently mix.
Cover, bring to a boil again, simmer and cook on slow heat till all the water has been absorbed by the rice.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with raita of your choice.