Cook blog: Veg pulao

Veg pulao is always a treat to eat. It is very easy to make and tastes yummy. You can be as creative as you want and add more veggies. Try this recipe. Easy to carry in lunch box. Good to take some in summer garden picnic.

I remember when I was a kid my mom and auntie will prepare veg pulao and curd for one day picnic and we will enjoy it at the beaches or river in Goa during school holidays. Oh I miss those carefree days :(.

Ingredients:
Green beans: 1 cup
Green peas: 1/2 cup
Green chili:3-4
Onion: 1 medium
Tomato: 1 medium
Garlic: 2 cloves
Turmeric: 1 tea spoon
Cumin seeds: 1 tea spoon
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Black pepper: 4-5
Dried bay leaf: 1
Star anise: 1
Salt to taste
Garam masala: 1 tea spoon
Oil: 1/2 table spoon
Ghee/clarified butter: 1/2 table spoon
Basmati rice: 1.5 cups
Coriander for garnish

Preparation:
Clean, wash and cut green beans in 2 cm long pieces. Boil it in hot water until soft along with green peas.

Peel and long chop onions in 2 cm long pieces. Wash and chop tomato in large pieces.

Wash, take the stem off and cut chili into slices. Fine chop garlic.

Wash rice twice with fresh water. Soak it for 10-15minutes. Cook it in boiling water until soft. Remove the excess water and keep aside. If the rice is overcooked, immediately keep it under running cold water. Also rice will not stick to each other.

Heat a pan. Add oil and ghee together. Add whole spice in following order. Star anise, cinnamon stick, black pepper, cumin seeds, bay leaf.

Add chopped chili and garlic once cumin start to splutter. Stir well and add onions.

Cook until onion is soft and add green beans and peas.

Stir well. Add tomatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste, turmeric powder, garam masala and give it a stir. Add rice when tomatoes start to get soft.

Gently mix rice with masala and let it stand for 5 minutes with lid on and heat off. This will allow spices to absorb well in rice. If you want before turning the heat off, you can add few drops of ghee for extra rich flavour.