Indian & South Asian · Lunch · Dinner
Vegetable Pulao
सब्ज़ी पुलाव (Sabzi Pulao)
Fragrant basmati rice cooked with whole spices, ginger and garlic, packed with carrots, beans, peas and cauliflower. This light one-pot dish uses just a spoonful of oil and works as a main or a side.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 80% · Fat 11% · Protein 9%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 1/2 cups300 gBasmati rice
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml), plus extra for rinsing and soakingWater
- 1 tbsp14 gVegetable oil
- 1 tspCumin seeds
- 2 leavesBay leaves
- 4 pods, lightly crushedGreen cardamom pods
- 4Whole cloves
- 1 small (5 cm)Cinnamon stick
- 1 medium, thinly sliced150 gOnion
- 3 cloves, minced9 gGarlic
- 1 tbsp grated10 gFresh ginger
- 1, slit lengthways5 gGreen chilli (optional)
- 1 medium, diced80 gCarrot
- 1 cup, cut into 2 cm pieces100 gGreen beans
- 1 1/2 cups small florets150 gCauliflower
- 2/3 cup100 gFrozen green peas
- 1/4 tspGround turmeric
- 1 tspGaram masala
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1/4 cup chopped10 gFresh coriander leaves
- 1 tbsp15 gLemon juice (optional)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear.
- 2
Cover the rice with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes while you chop the vegetables, then drain well.
- 3
Heat the oil in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat.
- 4
Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 5
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden.
- 6
Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chilli and cook for 1 minute.
- 7
Add the carrot, green beans and cauliflower and cook for 2 minutes.
- 8
Stir in the turmeric, garam masala and drained rice, and toss gently for 1 minute to coat the grains.
- 9
Pour in the 600 ml water, add the salt and peas, and bring to a boil.
- 10
Cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- 11
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- 12
Remove the whole spices if you like, then fluff the rice gently with a fork.
- 13
Sprinkle with coriander leaves and lemon juice and serve.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use any mix of frozen mixed vegetables instead of chopping fresh carrot, beans and cauliflower to save prep time.
- Replace the cauliflower with diced potato or bell pepper if that is what you have on hand.
- Swap the vegetable oil for ghee for a richer flavour, noting this makes the dish no longer vegan or dairy-free.
- Check your garam masala label and choose one labelled gluten-free if you need the dish to be strictly gluten-free, since some blends are packed in shared facilities.
Storage
Cool the pulao quickly, ideally within 1 hour, and refrigerate in a covered container. Eat within 1 day, reheating with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature, and only reheat leftovers once.
Make ahead
Chop the onion, carrot, beans and cauliflower and grate the ginger up to a day ahead, storing them covered in the fridge. Rinse and soak the rice just before cooking.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (384 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 377 kcal | 98 kcal |
| Protein | 8.9 g | 2.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 75.2 g | 19.6 g |
| of which sugars | 5.6 g | 1.5 g |
| Fiber | 5.5 g | 1.4 g |
| Fat | 4.6 g | 1.2 g |
| of which saturated | 0.6 g | 0.2 g |
| Sodium | 650 mg | 169 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
