Veg pulao
Staple food of Indians is either wheat or rice depending upon the which part of country they are .Mostly in north india wheat is preferred and in southern part rice is main food .But when there is some special occasion then the food consists of roti ,puri and rice in the form of pulao is served throughout
country.here is one recipe for veg pulao
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
cauli flower,potato,carrots.green beans(all diced and 1/4 cup each)
peas 1/4 cup
finely chopped ginger and green chillies each 2 table spoon
Whole spices
Green cardamom 2
Cloves 4
Cinnamon 1 piece 2 inches
Black pepper 4
Cashews 10
Raisins 15
For marination
Red chilli powder 1/2 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Garam masala powder 1/4 spoon
Chopped ginger and green chillies
Cardamom powder 1/2 spoon
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
1/2 spoon cumin seeds
salt according to taste
1/4 cup yogurt
For this pulao rice and vegetables will be cooked separately.
Soak rice in water for 20 minutes. in a bowl marinate the veggisexcept peas with all powdered spices and yogurt.Mix well and keep aside for ten minutes.Now in a thick bottomed pan heat 3 tabspoon oil and fry the cashews and keep aside in plate and add cloves and cummin seeds ,and black pepper.add a pinch of asoeftieda and pour all marinated vegetables in it.Stirr it and add peas and raisins .Let it cook for 2 miutes and turn off the gas.Vegetables are half cooked.Remaining cooking will be done with rice.
In a pan heat 4 cups water and when it starts boiling then add 2 whole cardamom and green chilli pieces and salt now add rice stir two three times and when the grain can be broken in two pieces then turn off the gas and.drain water as rice is 75% cooked now.
Remaining cooking will be done with veggies.
In the pan which is having half cooked veggies arrang half cooked rice evenly .
Pour three table spoon of desi ghee and sprinkle finely chopped green coriander and fresh mint.
Sprinkle three table spoon of milk to provid extra moisture for rice to get cooked .
Now cover it with a tight lid so as to hold the steam .
On a very slow burner keep a heavy iron tawa (not non stick) and on that tawa put the pan for next eight minutes .The remaining cooking of rice and vegetables will be done here.After eight minutes remove the pan from tawa. Remove the lid and on the top layer garnish with fried cashewsPulao is ready to serve.
This can be best served with cucumber raita recipe for the same is there in this blog under the heading raita.
Tips:-
1 While serving use a very thin flat laddle and take out pulao gently so as that the layers of whit rice and spiced veggies visible separately to give a contrast color on plate.
2 To make it more flavorfull sprinkle few drops of saffron soaked in milk( for ten minutes)
after cooking is done .
