• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Rice Recipes
    • Paneer Recipes
    • Snacks Recipes
    • Dal Recipes
    • Veg Curry
    • Indo-Chinese Recipes
    • Latest
    • Recipe Index
  • ABOUT

Swasthi's Recipes

Home >> Recipes >> Andhra

Coconut milk pulao | How to make veg pulao with coconut milk

By swasthi , on May 23, 2019, 48 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Coconut milk pulao recipe – Learn to make one of the best flavorful coconut milk pulao with mixed vegetables. A simple vegetable pulao makes a comforting meal and is easy to prepare on a busy day either for a lunch box or dinner. This coconut milk pulao recipe is super quick to make if you have the coconut milk and veggies ready. This is a no onion and no garlic rice recipe so it can be made during festivals and religious ceremonies.

veg pulao vegetable pulao recipe

The coconut milk adds a unique and rich aroma to the dish. Since there is no usage of onions in the dish you will save some time taken to fry the onions. I have made this in a pressure cooker, how ever you can also make it in a electric cooker, insta pot or just a regular pot.

Advertisement

This simple rice does not call for a accompanying dish but can be served with any veg or non veg curry gravy. It is nutritious, healthy and delicious too. Using a moderate amount of spices in the seasoning makes the rice aromatic.

For an increased intake of protein you can include soya chunks or nuggets also called as meal maker. I have used freshly chopped veggies, you can replace with frozen chopped veggies available in the frozen sections of supermarkets.

Preparation for coconut milk pulao

1. You can skip this step if not using soya chunks. Soak soya chunks in hot water till they soften for about 10 minutes. Rinse in lot of cold water, squeeze off the excess water. You get foamy water when you squeeze. Repeat the rinse with cold water. Never proceed to cook soya chunks without following this step, as there is lot of dust and debris that gets on to these chunks when they are sun dried or dehydrated during the process of manufacturing.Make sure no water is left in the chunks. cut each chunk to 2 pieces if they are big, set aside.

2. Wash rice and soak for at least 20 minutes. Drain off and set aside.

3. Powder saunf and pepper. Set this aside. If you don’t have a blender, just use a hand pestle and crush them, but to a fine or slightly coarse powder.

4. If you like to garnish the pulao with fried cashews, fry them till golden and set aside. I like to use it along with the veggies since they taste good when cooked in the spices.

Coconut milk pulao recipe – step by step photos

5. Add ghee or oil to a hot pan and fry all the spices till they begin to sizzle.

frying dry spices in oil for vegetable pualo recipe

6. If you prefer to use onions. You can add them now and fry until golden. I did not use onions, just to cut down the time.

7. Add ginger paste, fry until the raw smell disappears. Do not burn.

frying ginger garlic paste in oil for vegetable pualo

8. Time to add in saunf and pepper powder. Saute quickly. Take care not to burn.

using fresh spice powder to make veg pualo

9. Add vegetables and chili. I prefer to add cashews now. Fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. If using soya chunks add them now.

adding chopped veggies to pan for veg pulao

10. Next add chopped mint leaves and fry for another two minutes.

addition of mint leaves for vegetable pualo recipe
Advertisement

Using coconut milk to make coconut milk pulao

11. Pour coconut milk, add salt and taste the milk now. Adjust salt and spice if needed.

addition of coconut milk to make veg pulao recipe

12. Drain the rice completely and add it to the pan.

addition of soaked rice for veg pualo

13. Cook till the coconut milk is almost absorbed. Refer the picture.

Cook till the coconut milk is almost absorbed
Advertisement

14. Lower the flame completely. Cover the pan either with a tight lid or with a pressure cooker lid.

making veg pualo using coconut milk in pressure cooker

15. Cook until the rice is done. If needed sprinkle some water. If using a pressure cooker, cook for just 5 minutes on a a low flame. Switch off the stove, do not allow the cooker to whistle. Let the pressure come down. Fluff up the mixed veg pulao.

Alternate method – Cover the cooker immediately after adding rice. Then allow the cooker to whistle once on a medium heat.

gently fluffing up the pulao

Garnish coconut milk pulao and serve with a raita or gravy.

garnishing and serving vegetable pualo

For more Pulao recipes you can check
Veg pulao
Paneer pulao
Zarda pulao
Peas pulao

You can serve this coconut milk pulao with
Raita
Shorba
Mix veg kurma
Chicken kurma

Vegetable coconut milk pulao recipe

Advertisement

Coconut milk pulao

One of the most flavorful and delicious mixed veg pulao. It can be prepared using coconut milk or water. But coconut milk, mint and fennel seeds together yield one of the best vegetable pulao.
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings4
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 tbsp Oil or ghee (adjust as needed)

dry spices

  • 1 large bay leaf or tej patta
  • 1 star anise or chakri phool
  • 6 to 8 cloves laung
  • 2 inch cinnamon or dalchini
  • small piece nutmeg or jaiphal
  • 4 to 6 green cardamoms or elaichi
  • ¾ tsp shahi jeera or caraway seeds
  • 1 strand mace or javitri

to powder (optional, but adds a lot of flavor)

  • ¾ tsp fennel seeds or saunf
  • ¼ tsp pepper corn

other ingredients

  • 2 cups rice basmati
  • 2 tsp ginger or ginger garlic paste
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, potato go well)
  • ½ cup soya chunks or meal maker (optional)
  • 1 green chili (deseeded and slit)
  • 8 to 10 cashew nuts (optional)
  • ¼ cup mint leaves or pudina (chopped finely)
  • 3 ½ cups coconut milk
  • Salt as needed
Advertisement

Instructions

Make coconut milk pulao

  • Wash rice at least twice and soak it for about 20 minutes. Drain to a colander and set aside.
  • Powder fennel seeds and pepper to a fine powder. Keep this aside as well.
  • Heat and pan, add oil and fry the dry spices until they begin to sizzle.
  • Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell leaves. 
  • Add fennel pepper powder and quickly stir. Be quick otherwise it gets burnt faster.
  • Next transfer the chopped veggies and green chilies. Fry for 2 minutes. 
  • Add mint leaves and fry them as well.
  • Pour coconut milk and add salt. Bring it to a boil.
  • Completely drain off water from rice and add it to the pan.
  • Cook on a medium flame until the coconut milk is absorbed by the rice.
  • When there is very little moisture left, lower the flame and cover with a lid. Cook until the rice id done for 5 mins. 

If cooking in a pressure cooker

  • You can cook the rice for 1 whistle on a medium heat if using basmati rice. For other kinds of rice, you can allow to whistle twice.

If cooking In a pot,

  • Cook until the rice is done. If needed sprinkle water as needed. Keep the pot covered for some time.
  • Fluff up vegetable coconut milk pulao and serve.
Advertisement

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Coconut milk pulao
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1855 Calories from Fat 936
% Daily Value*
Fat 104g160%
Saturated Fat 77g481%
Sodium 829mg36%
Potassium 1607mg46%
Carbohydrates 202g67%
Fiber 17g71%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 41g82%
Vitamin A 9510IU190%
Vitamin C 28.6mg35%
Calcium 294mg29%
Iron 21mg117%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

WhatsApp
Share1K
Pin683
Reddit
Tweet
Email
2K Shares
FOR MORE RECIPES

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.


coconut milk pulao
WhatsApp
Share1K
Pin683
Reddit
Tweet
Email
2K Shares

Related Posts

Advertisement

FEATURED RECIPES

Breakfast Recipes

Upma recipe (r…

upma recipe

Cake Recipes

Banana cake re…

banana cake recipe

Breakfast Recipes

Aloo paratha r…

aloo paratha

vegetarian

Paneer recipes…

paneer recipes

Dal Recipes

Dal makhani (S…

dal makhani recipe

Rice Recipes

Veg biryani re…

veg biryani

Advertisement

POPULAR RECIPES

Idli recipe (S…

soft idli

Samosa recipe …

samosa

Pav bhaji reci…

pav bhaji

Eggless chocol…

eggless chocolate cake

Palak paneer r…

palak paneer

Rajma recipe (…

rajma

Advertisement

Paneer butter …

paneer butter masala

Kadai paneer r…

kadai paneer

Paneer tikka r…

paneer tikka

Advertisement

About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
Read more..

Recipe Rating




Recipe Rating




48 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Deepthi K
December 8, 2020 6:37 pm

5 stars
I always follow your recipe and it tastes amazing. You have a beautiful way of presenting dishes.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Deepthi K
December 9, 2020 4:28 am

Thank you so much Deepthi
Happy to know!
🙂

Reply
Advertisement
Suma
October 11, 2020 6:02 pm

I love your style of recipies . I follow it always . Thank you so much

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Suma
October 15, 2020 5:02 am

Welcome Suma
Glad to know!

Reply
Rizwana
April 18, 2020 6:54 am

5 stars
Tried and it tasted really yummmy .. thank you for great recipes

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Rizwana
April 18, 2020 12:12 pm

Welcome Rizwana
Glad to know! Thank you

Reply
Rizwana
April 14, 2020 10:01 am

Hii
Can i skip the veggies in this recipe..and do i have to powder the fennel seeds?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Rizwana
April 14, 2020 11:06 am

Hi Rizwana,
Yes You can skip the veggies. Fennel powder gives a nice aroma. If you don’t have skip it

Reply
Nilu
September 14, 2018 9:46 pm

I would love to make this recipe in instantpot. Can u suggest the settings and quantity of water to use?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Nilu
September 15, 2018 12:34 am

Hi Nilu
I haven’t made this in a instantpot any time. You can just follow the same timing and water as you do for cooking basmati rice.

Reply
Sampritha Thejesh
Reply to  swasthi
October 23, 2019 1:01 am

Hi I tried this recipe coconut milk was broken like milk once it came to boil.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Sampritha Thejesh
October 23, 2019 1:17 pm

Hi Sampritha,
Using thick coconut milk or canned coconut milk can split. However it should not affect the final outcome unless there are additives in the milk.

Reply
shivaani
July 4, 2018 12:36 pm

5 stars
I am 17 years old and I am very passionate about cooking. I was very much intrigued by your website ma’am and I must say your recipes are amazing. I did coconut pulao with vegetable kurma as a side and I loved the taste of both of them. I am delighted by the fact that you give us pictures of every instruction which makes it easy to follow the recipe. the instructions and the recipes are simple and easy to cook but taste heavenly.
you are amazing.
I just faced one problem with my execution of pulao recipe. I cooked it using a pressure cooker and I closed the lid for 5 mins as you said. I even removed the pulao before it started whistling but when I opened the cooker the underside was burnt. since I removed the pulao quickly enough there was no burnt flavor. but everytime i cook rice the same thing happens. the underside gets burnt and the rice is not as separate as your picture it becomes quite mushy. how can I prevent it? how can I stop burning the underside and make the rice as good as yours?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  shivaani
July 5, 2018 4:50 am

Hi Shivaani
Thanks for trying. So glad to know the recipes are useful. Firstly always use aged basmati rice to prevent sticky or mushy rice.
Rinse the rice well 3 times and then soak as mentioned on the pack or as per the recipe. This helps to get rid of excess starch from the rice and makes the rice less sticky.
Regarding this recipe, I guess the rice got burnt because the flame is a bit high. Regulate it to low.
For any one pot rice recipe to get fluffy and non sticky rice follow one of these methods.
After adding the rice to boiling water, close the cooker and just cook for 1 whistle on a medium high flame.
Or cover when there is very little water left and cook on a low to medium heat for 5 mins.
Both with yield you the same results. Hope this helps.

Reply
Chetna
August 10, 2016 6:10 am

Just love your recipes??

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Chetna
August 10, 2016 7:34 am

Thanks Chetna

Reply
Advertisement
Trisna Das
August 9, 2016 5:37 am

Very good

Reply
Rehma
June 16, 2016 3:46 am

5 stars
Hello
Tried it today and turned out great
Felt new taste unlike my regular pulao

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Rehma
June 18, 2016 11:03 pm

Thanks Rehma
Yes saunf, pepper and coconut milk add a unique aroma

Reply
chitra
April 8, 2016 6:31 am

Pulav looks yummy….going to try it today

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  chitra
April 9, 2016 1:36 am

Thanks Chitra

Reply
swapnali khaund
January 26, 2016 12:08 pm

Realy amazing….

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  swapnali khaund
January 26, 2016 1:01 pm

Thanks Swapnali

Reply
Neesh
December 30, 2015 10:21 am

I tried this recipe and it was the 1st time i made pulav n it turned out absolutely amazing… The aroma cause f d coconut milk is so darn gd…

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Neesh
December 30, 2015 3:28 pm

Thanks Neesh so glad to know you made it good. Have a wonderful day

Reply
uma
December 25, 2015 5:05 am

Awesome swathi mam…realt i wodered about your cookings..kep it up..well done

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  uma
December 25, 2015 8:16 am

Thanks uma

Reply
Advertisement
Mona
November 6, 2015 10:49 pm

5 stars
Awesome recipes

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Mona
November 7, 2015 1:38 am

Thanks Mona

Reply
sushma
August 27, 2013 10:51 am

Have tried the recepie and it really came out very tasty:)

Reply
Rita Bose
March 18, 2013 1:50 am

Pulao looks so yummy! Drooling over here!

Reply
Julie
March 18, 2013 1:16 am

healthy n yumm pulao:)

Reply
Priya Suresh
March 17, 2013 1:27 pm

Beautiful pulao,who will say no to it..Excellent dish for sunday lunch

Reply
Kalpana Sareesh
March 17, 2013 12:35 pm

i love this cooker version..

Reply
Advertisement
Arthy Suman
March 17, 2013 9:37 am

simple and aromatic pulao, love to try it…

Reply
Phong Hong
March 17, 2013 6:57 am

I love this , Swasthi! Two bowls for me, please!

Reply

Primary Sidebar

Advertisement

DIWALI RECIPES

JALEBI RECIPE
RASGULLA RECIPE
RASMALAI RECIPE
GULAB JAMUN
BESAN LADOO
KAJU KATLI
RAVA LADDU
Advertisement

CATEGORIES

DINNER RECIPES
SANDWICH RECIPES
BREAKFAST RECIPES
RICE RECIPES
CHUTNEY RECIPES
Advertisement

HEALTH CORNER

RAGI RECIPES
OATS RECIPES
MILLET RECIPES
Advertisement
Advertisement

© 2012 - 2020 - Swasthi's Recipes. The content is copyrighted to SWASTHI'S and may not be reproduced in any form.