Vegetable Pulao

This is one of the simplest vegetable pulao recipes that I have come across.This recipe was used by my grandmother. The unique ingredient in this recipe is the coconut milk that is used to fry the rice in. The coconut milk lends a unique aroma to the rice and is sure to delight your senses. Another factor that makes it different is that no whole spices are used. Instead a dash of garam masala at the end gives the pulao a delightful flavour.




Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
2. 1 cup vegetables ( assorted- beans cut in long strips, carrot junneilles, potato cubes, cauliflower florets, shelled peas)
3. 4 green chillies
4. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
5. salt to taste
6. 3 teaspoons coconut milk
(Ready coconut powders are available in the market. For this recipe, mix one tablesoon of cocnut milk with 3 tablespoons of warm water and the cocnut milk is ready)
7. 100 gms of onions ( lenghtwise into long strips)
8. 1 tablespoon raisins
9. one dozen cashewnuts

Method:

1. Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes. Add a teaspoon of oil to a frying pan and roast the rice in it till all the moisture is absorbed. Add the vegetables and continue to stir for about a minute. Add the green chillies and stir for a minute.
2. Add the thick coconut milk and stir the rice for about 3-5 minutes. The aroma of coconut milk will appear from the rice.
3. Cook the prepared rice in the pressure cooker with 2 1/2 cups of water till it is done ( generally pulao needs to be cooked for 5 minutes after the first whistle).
4. Add the garam masala to the cooked pulao. Stir well.
5. In a separate frting pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the onions, cashews and raisins. Add this to the cooked pulao.
Serve hot with onion/ tomato raitha.