This is part of the ongoing Das Tor series “Global Eats,” in which T-birds share cooking stories and recipes unique to their culture or travels around the globe.
Welcome to another global recipe recommendation! We are mid-way into the semester. The second year students are back from their GCL with exhilarating adventures and tired eyes! While it was exciting to spend time in London working on an interesting project, I came back having spent a lot of time and money on things I definitely didn’t need. But all in all, I craved a home-cooked meal after eating out for 21 days or more.
Coming back to Phoenix, I decided I have had enough outside food and will cook more at home! Now, the exciting part about being an Indian is that we have so many dishes that require only a few ingredients and just a little bit of your time. I decided to share this wonderful recipe of Vegetable Pulao for anyone who is tired of having just eaten outside food and wants to cook a nice, hearty, and spicy dish.
Veg Pualo is a spicy rice dish cooked with a variety of spices, vegetables, and aromatic leaves and condiments. This rich, comfortable, and aromatic mix is full of flavors that remind you of home, even when you are miles away from home.
So, let’s get cooking!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Long grained rice (basmati rice)
- 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped (Add more garlic if you enjoy the hit of garlic)
- ½ tbsp ginger
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 small tomato, finely chopped
- 1 medium sized carrot, finely chopped
- ¼ cup of corn (optional)
- ¼ cup of green peas
- 4 tbsp of French (green) beans
- 1 bay leaf piece
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 1-2 tbsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1-2 tbsp Red chilli powder
- 4-5 tbsp cilantro
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1 cup water
- Salt
Recipe:
- In a container, wash the rice and let it soak in the water for 15-20 minutes.
- In an Instant Pot, heat the oil and ghee on low flame. Add garlic and ginger, wait until the raw smell of the garlic goes away, and then add 2 tbsp of cilantro, along with bay leaf, cinnamon, and clove. Sauté the ingredients for 30 seconds. Add in the onion and sauté the onions till they turn light brown.
- Add all of the vegetables and stir fry the vegetables, till they start to sweat (soften a bit).
- Drain the rice and add it to an Instant Pot. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Garam Masala powder, and salt to taste. Stir the ingredients for a minute or two. Pour one cup of water and stir the pot to ensure that all the ingredients are mixed together well.
- Close the lid and place the pot on medium heat. Wait till you hear a whistling sound and then turn the flame too low. Leave it on for 2-3 minutes. If you’re cooking in a pan, wait till you see the rice absorbing the water (it will usually take 15-20 minutes, depending on the flame setting).
- Let your Instant Pot cool down, open the lid carefully, and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the contents to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
Viola, you have a wonderful hearty dish to satisfy your wish for a home-cooked meal! Bon appétit.