Veg Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice -1 and 1/2 cup ,

Nutri nuggets or Soya nuggets -a handful soaked in warm water ,

Cauliflower - Small ,

Carrot -1 

Mushroom -3 or 4,

Beans -5 or 6 ,

Peas -2 tbsp ,

Onion -1 (small size ),

Cumin seeds -1 tsp ,

Bay leaf -1 ,

Ginger garlic paste 1/4 tsp,

Coriander pwd -1/4 tsp ,

Cumin pwd -1 tsp ,

Red chilli pwd - a pinch ,

Green chilli - 1 ( optional ),

Garam masala -1/4 tsp,

Lemon -half juice ,

Coriander leaves -1 tbsp ( chopped ),

Ghee or oil -3 tsp ,

Salt to taste .

Water - 2 and 1/3 cup.

Method :

You can use any vegetable of your choice to make this dish.

Soak the nuggets in warm water for 15 minutes and then squeeze out the water .

Soak rice for 15 minutes .

Cut all the vegetables into small size including the onion.

Heat a pan and put 1 tsp of oil and saute mushroom,cauliflower ,beans and carrot for 1/2 minute in high heat .Take out and keep aside .

Take a cooker and put on heat .

Add 2 tsp of oil or ghee ,as ghee heats up add cumin and bay leaf .As cumin turns brown add the chopped onion .Saute till soft ,then add ginger garlic paste with 2 tbsp of water .Stir in medium heat till the rawness of garlic is no more . Add coriander pwd ,cumin pwd and red chilli pwd .Fry the masala for a minute in low heat .Add little water if it is too dry .

Add the  nuggets and  peas and fry for few seconds .

Add water to cook the rice .( usually the water used is double the amount of rice but i am putting less since there are vegetables which contain moisture )

Raise the heat and let the water come to a boiling point ,add salt .

Stir and then add rice and vegetables and some coriander leaves .Stir gently .

Close the lid .

One whisle on high heat and then close the gas.

Leave it to cool .

Sprinkle garam masala pwd and juice of half lemon .

Leave it for 5 minutes and then mix.

Garnish with coriander leaves before serving .

Best with raita and chutni .

Rai Pulao

My mother `s recipe !
Ingredients :
Basmati rice -2 cups ,
Rai seeds -1 tsp ,
Ginger - 2 inch ( sliced or grated ),
Turmeric pwd -1/2 tsp,
Green chilli -1 chopped ,
Salt -1/2 tsp ,
Ghee -1 tsp,
Water - 3 and 3/4 cups .

Method :
Soak rice in water for 15 minutes .
You can make this rice in a cooker .One whisle in high heat .
Heat ghee in deep pan .As ghee heats up lower the heat and add rai .As rai crackles add ginger and turmeric pwd and green chilli  . 
If you put turmeric in oil it burns quickly so we have to be careful not to let turmeric burn . 
Add  water and salt .

Raise the heat .
As the water starts to boil  lower the heat and then add the strained rice and stir .

Raise the heat again and let it come to boil .
Lower the heat again  and cover  with a lid .Let it cook for 7 minutes and then close the gas .

Leave it for sometime ( 10 minutes ).
Sprinkle coriander leaves .
Before serving mix the rice .

We have this rice with fish curry .