My neighbor once brought me a beautiful plate of vibrant mixed vegetable pulao (sabzi pulao). I can still hear her saying, “Vegetable pulao should have a generous amount of vegetables.” That simple phrase stuck with me, turning into a lovely reminder of her wisdom. Each time I found myself in the kitchen making pulao, her advice echoed in my mind. Motivated by her words, I made it a point to load my dish with colorful, fresh vegetables.
What goes into mixed vegetable (sabzi) pulao
Rice
I usually use long-grain basmati rice to make pulao. If, however, you can’t find basmati rice, you can, in fact, use other kinds of rice as well. Nonetheless, long grain basmati rice will give you the best results.
Mixed Vegetables (sabzi)
You can use any vegetable that can hold its texture even after cooking and doesn’t turn mushy. I used potatoes, carrots, peas and cauliflour. Some people also use eggplants, but I didn’t try making it with eggplants.
Onions
I used a medium sized thinly slized onion, which works perfectly for the pulao. Thin slicing plays a crucial role in achieving even caramelization of the onions.
Whole Spices
I added whole spices directly into the pan. Additionally, sometimes I make a spice pouch by placing them in a spice cloth so you can remove it easily before serving. If you prefer, you can skip the whole spices. However, do make sure to add cumin seeds. Specifically, I used black cardamom, star anise, cumin seeds, and bay leaves.
Water to Rice Ratio
For every 1 cup of rice, use 1.5 cups of water. This rice-to-water ratio works perfectly for any rice dish cooked on a stovetop, especially if you soak the rice for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Why is soaking rice important?
Soaking the rice for 30 minutes allows the grains to absorb water and plump up. This results in a fluffier texture and improved cooking quality.
How to store rice?
I store rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days in a refrigerator or for a couple of weeks in the freezer. Make sure to divide it into small portions for easy reheating.
How to reheat rice?
Microwave Method
To reheat the frozen rice, put it into a glass container. Add a splash of water and cover it with a wet paper towel. Leave it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. You’ll have your rice ready to eat.
Rice Cooker Method
To reheat the frozen rice, put it into the rice cooker. Add a splash of water and cook on the rice settings for 4-5 minutes. You’ll have your rice ready to eat.
Instant-pot Method
To reheat the frozen rice, put it into the instant pot. Add a splash of water and cook on the warm settings for 4-5 minutes. You’ll have your rice ready to eat.
On stove top
To reheat the frozen rice, put it into a pot. Add a splash of water and cover it with a wet paper towel. Leave it on the stovetop for 5-6 minutes. You’ll have your rice ready to eat.
More Recipes
Vegetable Pulao (sabzi Pulao)
Ingredients
- 300 g potatoes
- 300 g carrots
- 200 g peas
- 200 g Cauliflower
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1 star anise
- 2-3 black cardamom
- 3.5 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups rice
- 1 tsp garam masala
Instructions
- Wash and soak rice. Peel and cut onions, potatoes, and carrots. Also, cut cauliflower into florets.
- Add oil to a pan and sliced onions; cook over high heat until golden brown.
- Now add all the whole spices, veggies and ginger garlic paste, and green chilies.
- Cook over high heat while stirring, also add salt.
- After cooking the veggies for 5-6 minutes, add water.
- Cover and let it boil for about 5 minutes.
- Then add soaked rice, taste test for salt, and add garam masala.
- Cook over high heat until most of the water evaporates, then lower the heat and steam for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with raita