Quick Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice (long grain rice),
2 cups chopped vegetables (capsicum, carrots, french beans, cauliflower florets,etc)
1/2 cup shelled green peas,
3-4 tej patta,
8-10 black peppercorns,
4-5 dalchini sticks (1 inch long),
3-4 laung,
1 tsp haldi,
1-2 tsp red chilli powder,
4 tsp garam masala powder/biryani masala,
2 tbsp cashewnuts, broken into 2 halves
1 tsp kishmish (optional)
Salt to taste,
Oil for frying,
Water.

Method:
Wash the rice and keep aside. In a pressure cooker, heat some oil, add the whole garam masala, fry for a minute and add all the vegetables and cashew nuts. Fry them for few minutes, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well and add rice. Mix evenly so that all the masala and vegetables are mixed with the rice. Add around 4 cups water and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles and serve hot with any raita, papad and pickle.

Sheela

Sheela Agarwal is a botanist by profession and a cooking enthusiast.