Pulao also known as veg pulao is a delicious one pot Indian dish made with rice, vegetables, spices and herbs. This basic rice pulao can be made in a pot, pressure cooker or instant pot with my easy recipe.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 1½ cups basmati rice ((aged rice))
- 2 tablespoons oil (or ghee)
- salt (as needed)
- 2 ½ cups water (for pressure cooker (2¾ cups for pot, 1¾ cups for Instant pot))
- 1½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 green chilies (slit or as needed)
- 1 medium carrot ((¾ cup chopped))
- 4 medium french beans ((½ cup chopped to 1 inch))
- ½ cup green peas
- 1 small potato (cubed (optional))
- 3 tablespoons mint ((pudina, finely chopped) (or coriander leaves))
- 1 bay leaf ((tej patta))
- ¾ teaspoon shahi jeera ((caraway seeds) (substitute cumin seeds))
- 4 green cardamoms ((elaichi))
- 4 cloves ((laung))
- 2 inch cinnamon ((dalchini))
- 1 star anise ((chakri phool) (optional, but recommended))
- 1 strand mace ((javithri, optional))
- 1 pinch nut meg ((jaiphal) (optional))
- 2 pinches stone flower ((dagad phool - optional))
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds powder ((saunf powder - optional))
Method
Preparation
- Add basmati rice to a bowl and rinse it a few times until water runs clear.
- Soak it for at least 20 minutes. After 20 mins, drain off the water completely and set aside.
- While the rice soaks, rinse carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, onions, chilies & mint leaves.
- Peel the carrots and potatoes. Nip off both the ends of beans and chop all of them to bite sized pieces.
- Slice onions and slit green chill. Fine chop the mint leaves. (If you want you can also make a fine paste of ginger garlic, green chilies and mint.) Set all of these aside.
How to Make Veg Pulao
- On a medium flame, heat 2 tablespoons ghee or oil in a pot or pressure cooker.
- When the oil is slightly hot, add all the whole spices.
- When the spices begin to sizzle, add the onions & chilies. Saute until onions turn golden.
- Next saute ginger garlic paste, for 30 to 60 seconds, until the raw smell goes off.
- Add all the veggies and mint. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour water and add salt too. Taste the water, it has to be slightly salty.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil. Next add drained rice and stir.
- If cooking in pot, cover and cook on a low heat until all the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked. When the rice is done, turn off the stove. Cover and let the veg pulao rest in the pot for 10 to 15 mins. This helps the rice grains to become fluffy.
- If making in pressure cooker, cover the cooker with the lid. Then cook on a medium high flame for 1 whistle.
- Switch off the stove. When the pressure releases, remove the lid and fluff up the veg pulao rice with a fork.
- Serve veg pulao hot or warm with a simple raita or gravy.
Instant Pot Pulao
- Press SAUTE button on the instant pot. Pour ghee or oil to the inner pot. Saute the spices in the hot oil for 30 seconds.
- Fry onions & green chilies until transparent for 2 mins. Then fry ginger garlic paste just for 30 seconds.
- Next add in all the chopped veggies and mint. Saute for 2 mins. Add the drained rice (1 ½ cups) and salt. Press CANCEL button.
- Pour 1¾ cups water and mix. Taste the salt level and add more if needed.
- Scrape the bottom gently with the spatula to release any bits of food stuck. This prevents a burn notice. Secure the instant pot with the lid.
- Press PRESSURE COOK button (high pressure) & set the timer for 5 mins. Position the steam release handle to sealing.
- Instant pot beeps when it is done. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 mins.
- Release the rest manually by moving the steam release handle from sealing to venting with a spoon.
- Fluff up the vegetable pulao with a fork & serve with yogurt raita.
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.