A fragrant and colorful dish made with made with fluffy rice, lots of vegetables and aromatic spices to create a delightful medley that comes together in one pot in less than an hour.
What is Pulao?
At first glance, you might think this vegetable pulao is like biryani. They both have the same vibrant colors, stimulating aromas, and appetizing look. However, there are key differences that distinguish them from one another.
Pulao is a dish that involves cooking the rice in savory liquids and spices. It can be made with lots of variations, such as, vegetable pulao, chicken pulao, chickpea pulao, and more. It’s made entirely in one pot and comes together more quickly than biryani.
Biryani on the other hand is a little labor of love. It’s more time consuming than pulao and involves a greater array of spices. The masala is cooked in a separate pan and then layered with par boiled rice to cook in harmony over low heat until complete.
My Vegetable Pulao Recipe
In general, pulao recipes are simple and made entirely in one pot, with the exception of a few. Many recipes use whole spices in combination with ground spices but for this recipe, I prefer to use only ground spices with a little bit of pre-made biryani masala.
Biryani masala combines the whole spices with ground spices in perfect proportions. Ground spices are ready to use and don’t require any extra steps. Whole spices, however, need to be tempered in order to extract the flavor.
In the biryani masala mix, the whole spices are ready to use and you don’t have to do the extra step of tempering them. My biryani masala was homemade but you can use whatever you have available. Shan Foods & National are 2 brands that sell good biryani masala. They can be found in the international foods aisle at grocery stores or on amazon.
You will know it’s cooked when the it develops a deeper color and the oil rises and separates as pictured above.
Notes & Tips
The vegetables
In this recipe, I used a variety of vegetables like, green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and potatoes. Feel free to add or reduce the vegetables to your preference. More options include carrots and green beans. To keep things easy, check the frozen vegetables aisle of the grocery stores and use a pack of mixed vegetables.
The salt & water
If you’ve cooked pilaf before, measuring the water should be something you’re familiar with. To avoid errors, make sure to use a rice:water ratio you’ve tried and tested. For 2 cups of rice, I used 3 cups of water. I normally do 1 tsp of salt per cup of rice and I also added some salt to the masala while it was cooking too. Pre packaged biryani masala includes salt so you may not have to add much extra. Taste test when the masala is cooked and adjust accordingly.
Serving Options
Even though this vegetable pulao is full of delectable flavor and is thoroughly enjoyable on it’s own, there are a few ways to elevate this dish!
A popular way to serve this is with dressings like plain yogurt, raita, or cilantro chutney. Raita is a yogurt based sauce made with vegetables, like cucumbers and onions, and seasonings, like cumin powder, black pepper, or chaat masala. Cilantro chutney is also an amazing option!
If you’re familiar with vegetable pulao, then I hope you like my recipe! And if this dish is new to you, then I hope you’ve found an exciting new dish to enjoy and hold on to!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and would greatly appreciate a rating and review! I would love to hear your feedback and answer any questions you may have. Don’t forget to stay connected on Instagram, Tiktok, Youtube, and Pinterest for video tutorials, updates, & more!
Vegetable Pulao
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 large yellow or white onion – sliced
- 1/2 tbsp garlic – minced
- 1/2 tbsp ginger – minced
- 1 serrano or jalapeno – see note
- about 3 medium potatoes – cut into even bite sized pieces
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (I used broccoli and cauliflower)
- 1 cup green peas (+/- to your preference)
- 1/2 cup (125 g) plain yogurt
- 2 medium roma tomatoes – pureed in food processor or chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp biryani masala of your choice
- salt to taste
- 3 cups water to cook rice
- chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear and then soak in clean water.
- While that soaks, heat oil in a pot over medium heat and add the onions. Cook until the onions brown, stirring often to ensure the onions brown evenly and don't burn.
- Then add the ginger, garlic, and serrano paste and saute until fragrant.
- Then add the potatoes, your choice of vegetables, green peas, tomatoes, yogurt, salt and powdered spices (red chili, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, biryani masala).
- Mix everything together, cover, and let it cook on medium-low heat until it develops a deeper color and the oil starts to rise and separate. The potatoes should become fork tender and the vegetables should soften.
- When the masala is cooked, taste test and adjust for salt and spices.
- Then drain the rice and add to the pot with clean water and salt, if needed, and gently mix together. Bring to a boil on high heat.
- Once it starts to boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has fully absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Then turn off the heat and leave covered for 5-10 minutes.
- Fluff and mix the rice then transfer to serving dish. Optionally garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy warm!
Notes
- make a paste of the ginger, garlic and serrano using a mortar & pestle or pulse in a food processor until combined.
- For the vegetables, I used a portion of a mixed vegetables pack that is available in the frozen foods aisle at grocery stores.
