Vegetable Pulao

Happy New Year…

  
 I am a little bit late but as they say better late than never. Here’s wishing all you gorgeous people out there a very happy, healthy and proposerous new year. 

If you are anything like me you’ve probably already broken your New Years ‘eating healthy’ and ‘losing weight resolution. After all #yolo, so just eat those carbs. The key to a healthy lifestyle is not going without anything but having everything in moderation.

Today’s recipe is one that is cooked and savoured in every Indian home. It proudly embraces carbs, veggies and is packed with loads of flavour. An easy weeknight meal or lazy weekend lunch, a vegetable pulao perfectly lends itself to any occasion. It’s also a fuss free dish as you can use any vegetables fresh or frozen and the dish will still taste amazeballs!

Ingredients:  12    Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

• Two cups of basmati rice
• Half a cauliflower, cut into florets
• One cup peas
• One cup of carrots, sliced
• Two tomatoes, finely chopped
• One red onion, finely sliced
• One large bayleaf
• One large cinnamon stick
• Five to six cloves
• 1.5 teaspoons of garam masala
• 1.5 tablespoons of ghee
• Salt to season

Begin by thoroughly rinsing basmati rice. Let them soak for about 15-20 mintues prior to cooking. Then cook the rice, ensuring not to overcook them.

In another heavy bottom saucepan heat and melt ghee. Add bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves. Once aromatic add sliced onions and cook on a medium heat for five to seven minutes, until caramelised.

Now add chopped tomatoes and mix the ingredients well. Add garam masala, stir well and cook until tomatoes are soft.   

Toss the vegetables through the onion tomato paste. Season with salt and cook until vegetables are slightly tender. Personally I prefer them to be slightly crunchy, it gives the dish a great texture.  

Now add cooked rice and gently toss them through. Your lip smackingly delicious vegetable pulao is ready to serve. Serve it hot along with a cooling cucumber raita (raita recipe can be found here )