Veg Pulao
Fragrant basmati rice cooked with mixed vegetables and warm whole spices — the everyday Pakistani-Indian rice dish that fills the gap between plain rice and elaborate biryani. Vegetables and rice cooked together pilaf-style, with each grain separate and infused with spice.
Prep Time
19 min
Cook Time
28 min
Servings
4
Calories
370 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Rice1 ½ cups
- Carrot1 medium
- Peas½ cup
- Beans1 cup
- Onion1 medium
- Yogurt½ cup
- Ginger1 tsp
- Garlic3 cloves
- Garam Masala1
All quantities scaled automatically from 4 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Rice1.5 cups
- Carrot1 medium
- Peas0.5 cup
- Beans1 cup
- Onion1 medium
- Yogurt0.5 cup
- Ginger1 tsp
- Garlic3 cloves
- Garam Masala1
Instructions
- 1
Rinse 2 cups of basmati rice three times until water runs clear. Soak 20 minutes, then drain.
- 2
Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee in a heavy pot. Add whole spices: 1 bay leaf, 4 cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 dried chili. Sizzle 30 seconds.
- 3
Add 1 sliced onion. Cook 8 minutes until deeply golden. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute. Add 1 cup of mixed chopped vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, bell pepper). Cook 4 minutes.
- 4
Add the drained rice and 1.5 teaspoons salt. Stir gently for 1 minute to coat each grain in spiced fat.
- 5
Pour in 3.5 cups of hot water. Bring to a strong boil, immediately reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover tightly (foil under lid for seal).
- 6
Cook 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Rest off heat 10 minutes. Gently fluff with a fork from the edges. Serve with raita, sliced cucumber, or kebabs.
Watch how to make Veg Pulao
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Soak the rice for 20 minutes. Soaking gives more even cooking and longer separate grains.
- 2.Toast spices in oil. The tadka step extracts spice flavors. Adding spices to liquid won't give the same depth.
- 3.Hot water, not cold. Cold water shocks the rice and creates uneven cooking.
- 4.Don't lift the lid. The pulao steams in trapped vapor. Lifting releases moisture.
🔬 Why It Works
Vegetable pulao is a rice pilaf with vegetables — rice cooked in measured liquid (1.75:1 for basmati) with whole spices aromatizing the steam. Sautéing the rice in spiced fat before adding water coats each grain with flavor and creates the characteristic separate-grain texture. Deeply browned onions add sweet depth. Fixed cook-and-rest time (18 + 10 minutes) produces perfectly cooked basmati every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
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4.6
677 home cooks rated this
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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