Rice is the staple food of the Indian people mostly South India. It is mostly served in boiled form with various side dishes. Other forms of rice dishes are Khichdi, Biryani, Pulao, etc. So in this blog I’m gonna share the recipe of Vegetable Pulao which I learnt from my mother. So basically in this recipe Arwa or Basmati rice is used. Pulao is a dish in which pre-soaked rice is steamed in little water flavoured with salt and whole spices. So, let’s get started

Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 04
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:
Arwa Rice 1 cup
Chopped Carrots 1/2 cup
Chopped French Beans 1/2 cup
Green Peas 1/4 cup
Chopped Capsicum 1/4 cup
Raisins 1/4 cup
Cashew Nuts 1/4 cup
Bay Leaves 2
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Black Peppercorns 1 tsp
Cardamom Pods 1 tsp
Cloves 1 tsp
Cinnamon 2 inch
Star Anise 1
Ghee 1/4 cup
Salt to Taste
Hot Water 2 1/4 cups

Directions:

1. Thoroughly wash the rice with cold water and soak in fresh cold water for about 15 minutes. Also soak the dry fruits in cold water for 10-15 minutes.
   After 15 minutes, rinse off the water and spread the rice on a plate and let it dry. take out the dry fruits from the water too and keep it aside.
2. Meanwhile lets cook the vegetables. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a deep pot/ kadhai, saute the chopped vegetables on high heat to maintain the crunch of the vegies. Starting first with carrots, saute it for 2 minutes, then add the beans and saute it for 1 minute. Then add the peas and capcicum and peas, saute them for 30 seconds. Do not add salt while cooking the vegies. Once done keep the cooked vegies in a bowl.
3. In the same hot ghee toss the soaked dry fruits for just 30 seconds and then keep it with the vegies.
4. Add another 2 tbsp of ghee to the pot/ kadhai. Temper the hot ghee with all the whole spices i.e. bay leaves, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise and cinnamon. Then add the pre-soaked rice to the oil and fry the rice for good 10-15 minutes or till the rice becomes translucent. Doing this will prevent the rice from breaking and sticking with each other.
5. Once the rice gets fried nicely, add the cooked vegies and dry fruits and mix well. Now quickly add 2 1/4 cups of hot water to the rice and mix well. Add salt to taste and cover the lid and let the pulao cook for 10-15 minutes or till all the water gets soaked by the rice.
   Once the pulao is cooked well, mix it lightly and serve hot with the side dishes of your choice like Chili Chicken, Paneer Butter Masala, Cabbage Manchurian, Egg Chilli, Paneer Chili, Chicken Manchurian, Egg Curry, Sukha Chicken, Kadhi, Kathal Kofta, Kaddu Kofta, with Tadka Dal, Dal Makhni etc.

Tips: You can even use Basmati Rice for this recipe and use vegetables of your choices.