Vegetable Pulao

Thank God its friday! Soon will be the weekend, which means relaxed cooking, and everything will go @ a slower place.
I just wonder how kids get to know so many things these days! My daughter is just 4 years, and resists taking the regular sambar or other south Indian food for her lunch. Yesterday, she informed me that she needs either a paneer pulao or a veg pulao for her lunch. She came to me and she says, "mommy, just give me only roti. I don't want pappu sadham (rice)". I thought, its time to change our cooking to what she likes, provided something healthy has to be packed.
I prepared veg. pulao for the two busy bees in our home. And the recipes goes here,

You need:
Basmati rice - 1 cup, (soaked for about 20 - 30 mins)
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup (I used beans, carrot and peas. You can include paneer also. But no potatoes.)
Onion - 1 medium ( shredded)
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Green chillies - 2 to 5 (change to your taste)
Bay leaves - 3

Aniseed - 2
Fennel seeds powdered - 1 tsp
cardomom -4
cloves - 4
butter to saute
Coriander and mint leaves to garnish

Soak the Basmati rice for about 30 mins. In a skillet, add butter and slightly toast the basmati rice. Close lid and cook in 1 1/4 cups of water.

In a pan, add butter and saute the onions and green chillies. Then add the ginger garlic paste. Saute until the blank taste of garlic goes off. Then to this add the above mentioned masalas. Saute till you get the nice aroma of the spices. Do not burn them. Once they are done well, immediately add the vegetables. Add required amount of salt. Bring the flame to medium low. Now, saute until the vegetable gets almost cooked.

To this cooked vegetables, add the cooked basmati rice. Bring the flame to low, and let it get cooked for about 5 to 10 mins.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander and mint leaves. Also add 1/2 tsp of butter before serving.
Serve hot with raita of your choice. I prepare mint raita for the veg pulao.

This was almost like a ready to eat pulao. As no grinding and not much to chop. So, you can try them when you have little time to prepare.

 

This pulao goes to lunch to Smitha's Healthy Cooking Challenge guest hosted by RK of edibleEntertainment.