Vegetable Pulao - Type 2

I made a different style of vegetable pulao yesterday. This version requires a grounded paste of  Khus Khus, fresh coconut and little cashew nuts. Though I am not a big fan of using high calorie gravy or paste in my cooking, I made this pulao richer as I made it for my kids.  With limited vegetables, grounded paste and some indian spices, the vegetable pulao came out richer, tastier and flavourful. Just a simple onion raita is enough to finish the plate. May be...we can have few potato chips on its side. ( if you are lucky to have those!!!).

Ingredients
Carrots - 1 Medium
Potato - 1 medium
Fresh Peas - 1 Handful
Green Capsicum - 1\2 cup finely cut
Tomato - 1 Medium
Onion - 1 Small
Mint Leaves \ Pudina Leaves - 1 Handful shredded
Green Chillies - 2 Big Ones
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Kala Jeera - 1 tsp
Lavang \ Cloves - 5 or 6
Cinnamon Sticks \ Pattai - 3 Medium
Marathi Moggu - 1
Cardamom \ Elachi - 3 
Bay leaves - 3
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Basmati Rice - 1.5 Cups
Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp
Dry Red chilli powder - 1\2 tsp
Garam masala Powder - 1\2 tsp
Salt - To Taste
Coriander Leaves - To Garnish

For Grinding
Fresh Coconut - 1\4 Cup
Khas Khas - 1 tbsp
Cashew Nuts - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Wash and cut the vegetables into small cubes and keep it ready. Cut the onion, tomato and slit the green chillies in the middle and keep it ready too.
2. Wash and finely cut the mint leaves and keep it aside.
3. Prepare the paste by adding all the ingredients in a mixer grinder with some water.. Make a rich, smoothy paste and keep it ready too.
4. Soak the basmati rice in water for few minutes.
5. On a thick non stick kadai \ vessel, add olive oil first. When its heated, add jeera, kala jeera, lavang \ cloves, cinnamon sticks \pattai, elachi, marathi moggu, bay leaves in order and fry them for a minute.
6. Add the finely cut onion, green chillies, ginger garlic paste into the kadai and fry them nicely till the raw smell goes off completely from the kadai.
7. Next add the green capsicum pieces, pudina\mint leaves and fry them well with a pinch of salt.
8. Add the chopped tomato into the kadai and fry them well till it becomes mashy.
9. Add all the finely cut vegetables into the kadai and fry them in the kadai for 2 minutes.
10. Add the turmeric powder, dry red chilli powder, garam masala powder, a pinch of sugar and mix everything in the kadai thoroughly so that the vegetables get coated with the powders nicely.
11. Now add the grounded paste into the kadai and fry the contents well for 2 minutes.
12. Add the drained basmati rice into the kadai and fry them well for a minute.
13. Now add water ( about 2.5 cups of water for 1.5 cups of Adora basmati rice ) to the kadai directly and add required amount of salt to the contents and mix them well.
14. On a low heat, allow the contents in the kadai to cook for nearly 15 - 20 minutes. After 15-20 minutes, the vegetable pulao would have risen till the edge of the kadai with a wonderful flavour.
15. Open the lid and carefully turn the pulao upside down and close the lid again. Allow them to stand on low heat for another 2 minutes.
16. Then, switch off the heat if the vegetable pulao is completely cooked to your satisfaction.
17. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with a side of onion raita and Potato chips.!!

Variations

You can cook the basmati rice separately and add the rice slowly to the cooked vegetable spicy mix and complete the vegetable pulao. In this way,  the basmati rice does not break and the look of the pulao is great. I generally stick on to this method if I make this pulao for more people.

You can add more vegetables of your choice in this vegetable Pulao.

Tips

Before starting the actual cooking process, keep all the required ingredients ready on its side. This will definitely fasten the process of cooking.

Amount of water required for cooking the pulao may differ with different basmati rice varieties. So, add water accordingly.