Vegetable Pulao

All of us must have tasted the different versions of Pulao. A very common dish in all parties and potlucks. It is a great way to use all your vegetables and makes a complete healthy meal with raitha. So here is my own version of vegetable pulao.

Ingredients -
For the Raitha -
1 finely chopped Onions
1 finely chopped tomato
1 carrot grated
1/2 finely chopped cucumber
2 green chillies chopped
1 cup of beaten yogurt
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

For the Pulao -
Cut vegetables of your choice (preferably carrots, beans, cauliflower, potato, peas, onion, tomato)
1 cup of basmati rice
1.5 cups of water
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cloves
1 cardamom
1 bay leaf
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp biriyani masala
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp ghee
5-6 cashews for garnishing
2 tsps of oil
Salt to tasteCoriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure -
For the raitha, mix all the cut vegetables, green chillies with beaten yogurt and salt just before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves.

For the pulao,
1. Soak the basmati rice in 1.5 cups of water for 10 mins. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, allow them to splutter.
2. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and cut onions, saute for a minute.
4. Add the rest of the vegetables and saute it for 1 minute (vegetables should not become limp)
5. Add the dry masala powders, salt and ensure that they are incorporated well with the vegetables.
6. Add the soaked rice along with water to the cooker and mix well.
7. Now pressure cook the mixture for one whistle and allow it to cool.
8. Saute 5-6 cashews in ghee and garnish the pulao along with coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with raitha.

Tips -
You can also fry cubes of paneer in ghee along with cashews and add it just before serving.