Pulao recipe – Veg pulao is an easy one pot Indian rice pilaf cooked with mild spices and veggies. Pulao or pulav is one of the most common rice dishes that is often made in most Indian homes. It is also the one most commonly on the menu for parties or celebrations served along with a yogurt raita.
There are a few different variations of making pulav. I am sharing a simple andhra style pulao recipe that goes good in lunch box. If can be prepared for a quick meal or for a party. This veg pulao recipe is ridiculously easy to make and can be served alone without any side dishes.
There are so many different pulao recipes. The basic one is made with mixed vegetables. But it can also be made using any one vegetable like carrot, peas or paneer, eggs or even chicken.
For more Pulao recipes, you can check
Matar pulao
Chicken pulao
Tawa pulao
Pulao with coconut milk
Veg pulao recipe
Pulao recipe | Veg pulao recipe | Vegetable pulao | pulav recipe
Veg pulao recipe - A one pot rice dish from made with mixed vegetables and dry spices. Vegetable pulao is mildly spiced, delicious with full of flavors that come from the dry spices and mint. It is served with raita or any veg gravy.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
Ingredients for pulao recipe
- 1½ cups basmati rice (or any fragrant rice)
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 green chilies slit or as needed
- 1 to 1½ cups mix vegetables chopped (carrots, beans, peans, potatoes)
- salt as needed
- 2 ½ to 2 ¾ cups water (for the whistle method, 2.5 cups water)
- 3 tbsp mint (or pudina, finely chopped)
- 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste
Dry spices for veg pulao recipe
- 1 bay leaf (or tej patta)
- 1 star anise (or chakri phool)
- 1 strand mace (or javithri , large strand)
- ½ to ¾ tsp shahi jeera (or caraway seeds) (or jeera - cumin)
- 4 green cardamoms (or elaichi)
- 6 cloves (or laung)
- 2 inch cinnamon (or dalchini)
- 1 small piece nut meg (or jaiphal) (optional)
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds powder (or saunf powder - optional)
- 2 pinches stone flower (or dagad phool - optional)
How to make the recipe
Preparation for veg pulao recipe
Wash rice a few times until water runs clear. Soak it for at least 15 minutes. Drain off the water and set aside.
Chop all the veggies and slice onions. Chop pudina and slit green chilies. If making for kids skip or deseed for less spice.
How to make veg pulao
Heat ghee or oil in a hot pan.
Next add in the dry spices - bay leaf, star anise, mace, cumin, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and stone flower.
Fry them lightly in hot oil until they sizzle. Add the fennel powder (optional) if using.
- Saute onions until golden.
- Fry ginger garlic paste 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.
How to make pulao in pressure cooker
Cover the cooker with the lid. Then cook on a medium high flame for 1 whistle.
Making pulao in pot
Cook on a medium heat until all the water evaporates. When the rice is still soggy, cover with a lid. Cook on a low flame for 4 to 5 mins until the rice is done fully.
- Switch off the stove.
- When the pressure goes down, remove the lid and fluff up the rice.
Serve veg pulao hot or warm with a simple raita or gravy.
Recipe Video
Video recipe of veg pulao in pressure cooker
Recipe Notes
Notes for vegetable pulao recipe
Always use aged rice which gives fluffy and grainy pulao
You will need to adjust the quantity of water depending on the rice. If using normal rice, use more water.
Stone flower or dagad phool makes the pulao very flavorful.
How to make veg pulao recipe – step by step photos
1. Add oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or pot. If making for lunch box, avoid using ghee. Add dry spices – bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom, Shahi jeera, star anise, little piece of nutmeg and dagad phool (stone flower) mace as well. I also use 1/4 tsp saunf or fennel powder. For a less fragrant rice skip nutmeg, saunf and dagad phool.
2. When the spices begin to sizzle, add thinly sliced onions. And then slit green chilies too.
3. When the onions turn golden, then add freshly ground ginger garlic paste.
4. Saute well until the raw smell of ginger garlic disappears.
5. Add mixed veggies and chopped mint pudina. I use peas, beans and carrots most of the times. You can also use potatoes and a handful of cashews.
6. Next saute everything well until the mint smells good. Usually for 2 to 3 minutes. You can also add soaked drained rice now. And then saute for 2 to 4 minutes.
7. Add water and then salt as well. If you have sauteed rice in the previous step, i suggest adding hot water to cook otherwise rice grains may break.
Adding rice to make veg pulao
8. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add soaked drained rice.
9. Stir and cook the rice. There are a few different ways of cooking rice at this stage.
The first method of making veg pulao in pressure cooker is to cover the lid immediately after adding rice. And then cook on a medium high flame for one whistle.
The second method is to cook on a medium flame until the water is almost evaporated. But it is still soggy or the rice is too wet. Cover and lower the flame completely. Then cook for 4 to 5 minutes. This method works good for both cooking in a pot or in a pressure cooker. When the pressure goes off, open the lid.
10. Mix everything well. Fluff up the rice with fork.
Serve veg pulao hot or warm with a gravy or raita.
Akshatha says
Hi Swasthi,
Tried Veg Pulao today. It was a hit!!! Thanks a lot.
Thanks again.
swasthi says
Hi Akshatha
You are welcome. Happy to know pulao turned out good.
Archie says
I make your vegetable pulao almost thrice a week. Turns out yummy. Thank you very much for easy recipes
swasthi says
Welcome Archie
So glad to know you liked it. Thank you for trying the recipes