Pudina Rice is an aromatic and flavorful one pot meal made using basmati rice, mint leaves, spices and herbs. Pudina Rice is enjoyed with raita and a good choice to make it for a weekend lunch. The vibrant green color makes this variety rice tempting and also wholesome yet easy and quick to make.
I always love the flavor of mint leaves either in chutney or thogayal or biriyani. Biryani or Pulao is not complete without the addition of mint leaves, it adds so much flavor to the dish. This pudina rice is very simple and easy to make, do try this and enjoy!
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About Pudina Rice(Mint Rice)
'Pudina' in hindi means mint leaves so Pudina Rice is a flavored one pot meal made with mint leaves and rice as main ingredients. This Pudina Rice is made pulao style and is very tasty. Pudina or Mint leaves is an Indian herb used most commonly for making chutney, biryani, pulao, curry, dips etc.
The natural coolness and refreshing aroma of mint balances beautifully with the heat of green chillies and whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf. Lightly sautéed onions along with the masala paste adds body and texture, making it a wholesome yet comfort-style meal.
This mint rice is a great way to use up a bunch of mint leaves which is lying around unused. This tastes more like pulao also very easy and quick to make. It is perfect to pack for lunchbox for kids and office goers. It tastes best when resting time is given.
This pulao style pudina rice is super aromatic and flavorful perfect for lunch. It goes well with raita or even plain curd. You can even make it in a pot or pressure cooker or even instant pot.
I make mint rice when I am pressed for time and want to finish the lunch with one pot. This pudina or mint rice is not only easy and quick to make, it makes a tasty meal when paired with raita or just plain curd. You can add vegetables like carrot, peas or even potatoes to make more wholesome.
Pudina Rice Video
Similar Recipes
Mint Rice Ingredients
- Rice - Use any long grained rice or basmati rice for best results. However you can use regular parboiled rice too. Cook it grain separated and use it.
- Mint leaves - Use fresh tender mint leaves that is fresh. I used home grown mint leaves from my mini garden.
- Whole spices - Bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom is added while tempering.
- Cumin seeds - added while tempering to give it a warm flavor and taste.
- Cashews - Cashews are fried until golden brown and added. You can replace it with peanuts too.
- Jaggery - Jaggery balances the herbs and spices added, so do add it.
- Coconut - It gives flavor, taste and texture to the pulao.
- Ginger, Garlic - added along with other ingredients to make the masala paste.
- Green chilies - added for heat. You can even add little red chili powder if you want it more spicy.
- Oil - to fry cashews and to cook the masala paste.
How to make Pudina Rice Step by Step
1.To make masala paste - Add 2 tablespoon coconut, 1 inch ginger, 2 green chilies, 2 garlic to a mixer.
2.Rinse and add 2 cups mint leaves.
3.Add little water and make a fine paste like this, Set aside.
4.Heat 1 and ½ tablespoon oil, add around 12 cashews, fry until golden brown, remove and set aside.
5.Add 1 small bay leaf, 1 clove, 1 cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let it splutter, give a quick sauté.
6. Add ½ cup chopped onion along with salt to taste.
7.Saute until onions turn slightly golden.
8.Add mint paste.
9.Saute until raw smell leaves, it turns dark green. Add 1 tablespoon oil.
10.Add 1 teaspoon jaggery. Give a quick saute.
11.Add 2 cups cooked basmati rice.
12.Mix it well until the masala coats well. Check and adjust with salt. Finally add fried cashews, give a quick mix and switch off.
Expert Tips
- Soaking - Soaking rice for 20 minutes makes it soft and fluffy. I always soak the rice and cook.
- Rice - Cook rice grain separated. You can use any long grained rice or regular rice too.
- Mint leaves - Use fresh mint leaves, avoid stale leaves as they taste bitter and dull the color.
- Variation - You can add ¼ cup coriander leaves for added flavor. You can replace oil with ghee or use half and half. You can add 1 teaspoon lemon juice at the end for more flavor.
- Pairing - Pair it with plain curd or any raita of your choice.
Serving & Storage
Pudina rice is best with onion raita or plain curd. It can be served with papad too. This keeps good in fridge for 1 day. You can reheat while serving if in fridge.
FAQS
1.Which rice is best to use?
Long grained rice is best to use as it gives it a pulao taste. How ever you can use regular cooking rice too. Seeraga samba tastes good too.
2.Can I add coriander leaves?
Yes you can add 1 cup coriander leaves for a variation and different flavor, taste.
3.How to maintain the bright green color?
Do not over cook but make sure the raw smell leaves. You can even add lemon juice, turmeric powder to retain the vibrant green color.
4.Can I make it without onion, garlic?
Yes you can skip them. Instead add little more coconut, roasted gram dal while grinding.
5.How long does mint rice stay fresh?
Mint rice stays good for 5-6 hours in room temperature and 1 day in fridge.
If you have any more questions about this Pudina Rice Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Pudina Rice Recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Pudina Rice Recipe | Mint Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon jaggery
- salt to taste
To temper
- 1 and ½ tablespoon oil
- 12 cashews
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 small clove
- 1 small cardamom
- ½ inch cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
For the masala paste
- 2 cups mint leaves
- 2 tablespoon coconut
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 green chilies
- 2 garlic
Instructions
- To make masala paste - Add 2 tablespoon coconut, 1 inch ginger, 2 green chilies, 2 garlic to a mixer.
- Rinse and add 2 cups mint leaves.
- Add little water and make a fine paste like this, Set aside.
- Heat 1 and ½ tablespoon oil, add around 12 cashews, fry until golden brown, remove and set aside.
- Add 1 small bay leaf, 1 clove, 1 cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let it splutter, give a quick sauté.
- Add ½ cup chopped onion along with salt to taste.
- Saute until onions turn slightly golden.
- Add mint paste.
- Saute until raw smell leaves, it turns dark green. Add 1 tablespoon oil.
- Add 1 teaspoon jaggery. Give a quick saute.
- Add 2 cups cooked basmati rice.
- Mix it well until the masala coats well. Check and adjust with salt. Finally add fried cashews, give a quick mix and switch off.
Video
Notes
- Soaking - Soaking rice for 20 minutes makes it soft and fluffy. I always soak the rice and cook.
- Rice - Cook rice grain separated. You can use any long grained rice or regular rice too.
- Mint leaves - Use fresh mint leaves, avoid stale leaves as they taste bitter and dull the color.
- Variation - You can add ¼ cup coriander leaves for added flavor. You can replace oil with ghee or use half and half. You can add 1 teaspoon lemon juice at the end for more flavor.
- Pairing - Pair it with plain curd or any raita of your choice.
Sanjeeta kk
Lovely rice Sharmilee, good clicks. Like the coconut paste in the recipe.
Hari Chandana
Woww.. yummy and aromatic pulao.. looks perfect!!
Nithya
Wow.. this looks perfect as a dish and the pic is good too 🙂
I like the flavor of mint in my dishes too. Same pinch 🙂
Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal
Simply beautiful and lovely. I will surely try this one 🙂
Torviewtoronto
delicious colourful rice
Kairali sisters
Lovely, flavorful rice Sharmi...
Nitha
Delicious rice...
Prathibha
Ha ha...I liked ur repeated cooking for the photography....Mint pulao looks yumm..I love the flavor of mint..
jeyashrisuresh
i too do this especially for the recipe which i posted now(bisibelabath).
Mint puloa looks very yummy and ur version of adding tomatoes is quite intersting.
RAKS KITCHEN
Oh,thanks to blogging and your photography mania 😛 But sure it looks very tempting,the rice grains looks separate and perfectly cooked 🙂
chaitrali pathak
delicious rice...love the minty flavour
suma
You made the dish repeatedly to get a good click is it:-))?? i do not have much patience or skills when it comes to photography. I make do with whatever looks like the better of my pics and I guess its obvious from the pics on my blog. The rice looks perfect!!
lavi
Pic is the Proof of the recipe. this is my favourite dish! have to try by this week.
GEETHA ACHAL
Its looks so tempting and nice click....Thanks for sharing...
Sarah Naveen
Its such a comfort food...flavorful and yummy!!!
Shabitha Karthikeyan
Lovely rice.I too love the addition of pudhina in food the aroma freshens me..That is a great click Sharmi !!!
Gulmohar
Love this flavorful rice...yumm
Sharmilee! :)
Thanks gals...U all make me feel now the repetition of this rice for the sake of click was worth it 🙂
Yummy Team
Lovely rice..Love this recipe, will surely try it sometime..You are so very right, mint (and cilantro) brings out a wonderful flavour in biriyanis..I cant even think of preparing a biriyani without those herbs..
I tried your ovenroasted chickpeas last week and it tasted really crispy and yummy..Thanks a lot for sharing...
Radhika
I know what you are saying Sharmilee, I try couple of time even more before I can post few recipes. But you have given us a winner recipe.It makes me drool yaar.
Rachana
The pudina rice looks great! Yumm!
Sharmilee! :)
@Yummy Team : Thanks Yummy Team for trying out channa roast and letting me know!
jayasree
Rice looks very delectable...Tempting color.
Premalatha Aravindhan
wow wat a delicious pulao,luks perfect...
Brinthakuppusamy
I wanted to try Mint rice. I had a doubt whether to add tomato or not; i preparred it without tomato. Then I saw internet and added tomato. Thanks to u for the receipe
Brintha Kuppusamy, Sammamish, Seattle
Sharmilee! :)
@Brintha: I have used 1/2 tomato, if you want u can use 1 tomato also....Tomato brings a nice flavour to this pulao
Vidya Mohan
i tried this today and it became hit in my office 🙂 my hubby too liked it 🙂
karkum
i tried tis recepie came out so well tanku
Mini Madhusudan
This looks yummy and i am going to try it out for this weekend 🙂
Merlyn
hi sharmi..
i tried this for lunch today...i used 1 whole tomato instead of half.. d color of d rice was like of biryani n not like how its in d pic 🙁
should i have added more mint leaves? it tasted good.. but d color!?
Sharmilee! :)
@Mwrlyn : Yes the color depends...when you add more tomatoes the color will change....yeah next time add in more mint leaves to get the green color
Merlyn
ok sharmi...thank u so much. will do tht nxt time!
kalyani
delicious pulao...am going to try this tomorrow...how many whistles required while pressure cooking?awaiting for ur reply
Sharmilee! :)
@Kalyani : You can leave for 3-4 whistles
kalyani
thanks a lot for ur instant reply:-) will try out n update u
Manju
Hi sharmi tried this recipe today came out soo well.my 2yr old kid loved the rice. thanks for sharing the recipe
Manju
Unknown
Sharmi can I cook it without whistle
SHARMILEE J
Yes you can do that too
BageerathiMutharasu
its very tasty. different taste. I like very much and our family also. thank you so much.
Dhurga
Very nice .. my kutty loved it.. thanks fr ur lunch box recipes.. very useful
Melisha noronha
I made this today and it was amazing. I tripled the recipe because I was making it for two meals. I added soya chunks as well and it was a good addition. Thank you for your simple yet yummy recipes.
Karthika
Hi
Can we use coriander leaves instead of pudhina and follow the same recipe?any change should be done?
Sharmilee J
you can replace and try