Vegetable Polao
Vegetable polao is a delicious and easy rice dish that can be made with a variety of vegetables and spices. It is a popular dish in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other parts of South Asia. Vegetable polao can be served as a main course or as a side dish with curries, dal, raita or salad.
To make vegetable polao, you will need:
- 2 cups of basmati rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes
- 4 cups of water
- 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala powder
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup of cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup of green peas
- 1/4 cup of chopped coriander leaves
To make vegetable polao, follow these steps:
- Drain the rice and keep it aside.
- Heat oil or ghee in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon sticks and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add onions and fry for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
- Add salt, turmeric powder and garam masala powder and mix well.
- Add potatoes, cauliflower and green peas and stir to coat with the spices.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost cooked.
- Add rice and gently stir to combine. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is fluffy and the water is absorbed.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with coriander leaves.
- Enjoy your vegetable polao hot or warm with your favorite accompaniments.
