Pulao Recipe | Veg Pulao

Veg Pulao is a delicious, flavourful one pot meal by cooking veggies & spices along with rice. Veg Pulao called by different names like pilaf or pulav is a one pot meal, easy to make and loaded with the goodness of veggies. Veg pulao is a good option to make for weekend lunch & special occasions. How to make Veg Pulao is explained in this post with step by step pictures and video.

Veg Pulao is a aromatic flavourful one pot meal that needs no sidedish at all but if you like you can pair it up with raita or any veg curry of your choice. Veg Pulao is my go to recipe for a quick fix for lunch, packing for lunchbox or even for any special occassion or weekends.

About Veg Pulao

Veg Pulao is a perfect rice menu for when you wish a comforting masala free special meal. Vegetable Pulao can also be made with spice powders to make it colourful & spicier.

Veg Pulav is also called as Vegetable Pulao, Pilaf is an assortment of veggies in fluffy rice & garnished with nuts & herbs. Vegetable Pulao makes a nice meal during busy routine & for lunch box. Vegetable Pulav can be tried with lot of variations by adding different veggies, ingredients and method. Vegetable Pulao can be relished as a wholesome meal or with spicy gravy or raita or stir fry.

Veg Pulao is a family favorite even mittu doesnt complain so I make it atleast twice or thrice a month. Veg Pulao is one of the most common rice dishes made in India.This is a great one pot meal you can try either the pressure cooker method or this method both tasted equally good on its own. Vegetable Pulao can easily fit in your kids lunchbox or even for office goers lunchbox.

Veg Pulao is regular at home but I always make using pressure cooker as its easy to put it together. But I always have wondered how they make in restaurants as the veggies are crunchy and the taste is mild but flavourful. Restaurants always claim that the food they serve is homely and we on the other hand want to try restaurant style…ha ha the other side is always green thats what is life too right?!

Last time when I had vegetable pulao at a my fav restaurant I made it a point to dig in the ingredients that went inside the making and also closely examined the taste. After few trials at home I got this perfect restaurant style veg pulao. Having tasted veg pulao in quite a handful of restaurants I could guess the ingredients and method and I can confidently say it came very close to the restaurant style.

What type of cookware to use?

Use a heavy bottomed cooker. I used my triply versatil cooker. The Versatil works as a pressure cooker, pan and serveware. It comes with a glass lid that can be used for cooking, steaming and serving. It is made with the finest quality triply, the pressure cooker does not stick or burn while cooking making cooking easy and joyous.

To buy :

Stahl Products with discount : Use Couponcode SHARMIS for a discount of 10% while shopping.

Why this recipe?

I have shared 2 methods here : one is the quick home style version and another is the restaurant style which takes a bit more time. Both taste good so you can choose according to your needs and preference. I usually make the homestyle version when I am looking for a quick fix and go in for restaurant style during any occassion or weekends.

Veg Pulao 2 ways

• Home Style Veg Pulao – Home Style Vegetable Pulao is an easy to cook one pot meal made by sautéing veggies & spices and pressure cooked with rice. In pressure cooker method mostly the veggies and the rice become soft and the flavour is slightly different as both rice and veggies cook together. Pressure cooker method is quick to make, if you have the cut veggies you can make veg pulao in few mintues.
• Restaurant Style Veg Pulao – Restaurant Style Veg Pulao takes slightly more effort and time as the veggies and rice are cooked separately, the spices are sauteed separately and then blend with cooked rice. Restaurant Style Veg Pulao is tastier compared to the home style Pilaf and the family will come again for more! This version has become our family favourite.

Veg Pulav – when can we make?

• Week day busy routines for lunch
• When body demands masala & fry free comforting meal
• Add on meal during buffet or grand lunch
• Lunch Box

Veg Pulao Ingredients

• Rice – Long grained basmati rice is prefered for veg pulao. I always have readers asking about the brand of basmati rice I use whenever I post recipes with basmati rice. I use India Gate / Double Deer brand and for this post I used India Gate Super. Rinse rice 2-3 times to remove starch from the rice. I always presoak basmati rice and then pressure cook to get grains softer and separated.
• Veggies – I have used carrots, beans, and fresh peas for making Veg Pulao. You can add or discount any of the vegetable of your choice. Other veggies that you can add are any one of cauliflower, baby corn, capsicum, etc.
• Spices & Herbs – I have used ginger garlic paste, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, jeera, pepper corns for this Veg Pulav. Additionally you may use black cardamom, fennel, ginger powder, bay leaf.
• Nuts – I used cashews, but if you like you can use almonds and raisins too.

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Veg Pulao Recipe Step by Step

1.Soak 1/2 cup basmati rice in water for 15-20 mins. You can even soak it for 30 mins, soaking helps in cooking rice softer and grain seperated so do not miss this step.

2.Cooking rice perfectly is the key to great tasting pulao. So make sure to cook rice prefectly. Add rice along with 3/4 cup water.I have used 1:1.5 ratio so for 1/2 cup rice its 3/4 cup water.

Add veggies in a seperate bowl, add very little water along with salt. You can cook rice in open pot method or in instant pot too. Steam cook veggies and add it too but make sure to retain slight crunchiness in the veggies.

3.Close with lid so that the veggies do not get mixed with rice.

4.Close with cooker lid and Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Let pressure release by itself.

5.Open fluff the rice and set aside, if it sticks add little oil mix gently and set aside. Add veggies to a bowl adn set aside.

6.Heat 2 tbsp + 1 tsp oil in the same pan – add cashews fry until golden. Remove and transfer to a bowl and set aside.

7.Now add 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 nos cloves, 1 small bayleaf, 1 small star anise, a small piece mace and 1/2 tsp shahi jeera. Let it splutter. You can replace it with cumin seeds if you do not have shahi jeera.

8.Add 1 long green chilli, onion along with salt.

9.Saute until transparent then add ginger garlic paste.

10.Saute until its golden.

11.Add cooked veggies and saute for a minute.

12.Now add 1/4 tsp cardamom powder, 1/4 tsp pepper powder and give a quick mix.

13.Now add cooked rice.

14.Give a quick mix, gently mix do not break the rice.

15.Cook covered for 2 mins in low flame.

16.Add 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 1/4 tsp rose essence and roasted cashews.

17.Give a quick mix and switch off. Restaurant style Veg pulao is ready.

Serve with raita and any spicy veg curry of your choice.

Quick Veg Pulao – Home Style

This Veg Pulao recipe is a quick version and can done in a jiffy.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 1 medium sized onion sliced lengthwise
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp mint leaves
• 1 cup vegetables chopped [I used 1 carrot, 5 beans and handful of peas]
• 1 cup water
• salt to taste

To temper:

• 2 nos cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 small bayleaf
• 1/2 tsp shahi jeera
• 2 nos green chilli
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp ghee

Veg Pulao Step by Step

1.Soak 1/2 cup basmati rice in water for 15-20 mins. You can even soak it for 30 mins, soaking helps in cooking rice softer and grain seperated so do not miss this step.

2.Heat 1 tbsp ghee + 1 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add 1 inch cinnamon, 2 nos cloves, 2 nos cardamom, 1/2 tsp shai jeera and 1 bayleaf. Let it splutter.

3.Add 1 medium sized sliced onion along with 1 green chilli and required salt. If you prefer slightly spicy pulao add 2 green chillies.

4.Saute until golden then add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste.

5.Saute for a minute.

6.Then add 2 tbsp mint leaves.

7.Add rinsed 1 cup veggies along with 1/4 tsp garam masala powder.

8.Saute for a minute.

9.Then add soaked, drained rice.

10.Give a quick mix. Mix gently without breaking the rice.

11.Add 1 cup water. I use 1:2 ratio so for 1/2 cup basmati rice its 1 cup of water. After adding water taste check for salt, the water should be salty then salt will be perfect for rice.

12.Close with lid. Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame.

13.Let pressure release by itself. Open.

14.Fluff and mix gently. Homestyle quick veg pulao ready.

Serve hot!

Expert Tips

• Cooking the basmati rice to perfection is the key to a great pulao both taste and texture. So be careful while cooking. Soaking and cooking gives softer grains and it doesn’t break easily.
• If you cook the rice in pot method, use water quantity aptly, if you strain the excess water the flavour of basmati rice will also go with water itself so measure and add water accordingly.
• For quick home style version I use 1:2 ratio and pressure cook for 2 whistles in low medium flame. For restaurant style I use 1:1.5 ratio water to make the rice slightly crunchy as in restaurants but if you prefer you can use 1:2 ratio itself for both the methods.
• You can even use other vegetables like cauliflower,baby corn ,sweet corn etc.
• I just added cashews but if you like sweet taste ghee fry raisins and add it too.
• Don’t add more mint leaves as the flavour will be strong.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

Serve Vegetable Pulao with spicy gravy or raita or stir fry! On busy days, it can be relished with tomato ketchup / sauce as well.

Enjoy Veg Pulav on the same day of making, else refrigerate and heat it in stovetop or microwave before use next day.

Variations

Try the below variations of Veg Pulao to make it taste different each time.

• You can add ghee roasted raisins.
• You can add 1/4 cup coconut milk while cooking rice to give a unique taste make sure to adjust water accordingly.
• You can add paneer after shallow frying it for a Paneer Veg Pulao.
• You can add shallow fried mushrooms, sweet corn, bell pepper or any other veggie of your choice.
• Green masala paste – You can make mint + coriander paste and add it too for a green color pulao.
• Red masala paste – If you prefer spicy version add red chilli paste along with sauted tomatoes for a orange color pulao.
• You can add 1/2 tsp biryani masala powder.
• Add 1/4 cup curd to give a slightly sour taste. Make sure to adjust water accordingly.
• Add fried onions as garnish to restaurant style veg pulao.
• If you like saffron flavour add 5 strands while cooking rice.

FAQs

1.What is Veg Pulao?

Veg Pulav is a flavourful, tasty meal made by cooking rice with veggies, spices and flavours.

2.How to make Veg Pulao?

Vegetable Pulao – Home style version is an easy to cook one pot meal made by sautéing veggies & spices and pressure cooked with rice. Restaurant Style Veg Pulaoversion takes slightly more effort as the veggies & spices are sautéed separately and then blend with cooked rice.

3.Which method do you recommend – Home style or Restaurant Style?

I recommend Restaurant style if you prefer taste – as it is the best tasting version amongst the two. But if you are running out of time and looking for a quick fix then go in for homestyle and am sure you will not regret.

4.Can we use boiled rice or brown rice or raw rice for this recipe?

Basmati rice gets us best results. Other rice varieties are not preferred.