Pulao recipe | Veg pulao recipe | Vegetable pulao | pulav recipe

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. Pulao is served with raita or any veg gravy.

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Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Keyword authentic, dinner, easy, lunch, rice

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3

Calories 510 kcal

Author Swasthi

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

1. Wash rice a few times until water runs clear.  Soak it for at least 15 minutes. Drain off the water and set aside.

2. 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

1. Heat ghee or oil in a hot pan.  

2. Next add in the dry spices - bay leaf, star anise, mace, cumin, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and stone flower.

3. Fry them lightly in hot oil until they sizzle. Add the fennel powder (optional)  if using.
   

4. Saute onions until golden.
5. Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.

6. Add all the veggies and mint.  Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Pour water and add salt too. Taste the water, it has to be slightly salty.

8. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

9. Next add drained rice and stir.

How to make pulao in pressure cooker

1. Cover the cooker with the lid. Then cook on a medium high flame for 1 whistle. 

Making vegetable pulao in pot

1. 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.

2. Switch off the stove.
3. When the pressure goes down, remove the lid and fluff up the rice.

4. 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.

Nutrition Facts

Pulao recipe | Veg pulao recipe | Vegetable pulao | pulav recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 510 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 51mg 2%

Potassium 382mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 92g 31%

Dietary Fiber 6g 24%

Sugars 1g

Protein 10g 20%

Vitamin A 92.4%

Vitamin C 15.4%

Calcium 7.4%

Iron 12.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.