recipe by Samadini
With all hands on deck, Samadini’s sister, mother, and grandmother all circled around to cook. They effortlessly passed from one to the other step by step.
Vegetable Pulao
Prep
Cook
Total
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 3 Indian bay leaves
- 3.5 cups water
- 1 pinch (about 20 threads) of saffron
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 Tbsp ghee
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 cup carrots, grated
- 1 cup fresh peas
- ¼ cup roasted unsalted cashews, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- salt (to taste)
- 1 pinch of sugar
Instructions
- Wash the rice to remove starch.
- Let it soak for 15-30 minutes. (optional step that makes the rice softer)
- Soak the saffron in a couple of tablespoons of warm milk (or water). Set aside while doing other preparations.
- Put the rice in a large pot with 3.5 cups of water and Indian bay leaves, bring to a rolling boil. Stir occasionally.
- Once at a full boil, bring the heat down to low and cook with the lid on for 15 minutes. (Work on preparing the other ingredients during the cooking time.)
- At the end of 15 minutes, remove from heat.
- Keep the lid on and allow the rice to steam for another 10 more minutes (this is an optional step)
- Fluff the rice with a spoon or rice scooper, then transfer it to a large bowl.
- Add raisins to the rice.
- In a shallow pan or wok, heat up the ghee. Saute the diced onions it softens, add grated carrots, peas, crushed cashews, and garam masala and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt to taste and a pinch of sugar.
- Pour this mixture over the prepared rice, stir.
- Mix in the previously soaked saffron. Serve hot. Try it with Samandini's Duck Masala.
