Pretty in Pink Pulao

One of the fastest, easiest and tastiest recipes packed with all sorts of vegetables is pulao. If you take the time to prepare all the vegetables for the week ahead of time, then making pulao for any hungry crowd is a snap. Pulao could be made in a rice cooker, pressure cooker or simply in a vessel directly and every way comes out just perfect. Lot of people do not add beetroot in pulao but I do. Its a great way to incorporate this nutrient rich vegetable plus give your pulao that hint of pretty pink color here and there. Here is the recipe.

Pulao

Ingredients: (Servings approximately 6 people)

1. 1 medium size beet
2. 2 carrots
3. 2 potatoes
4. 1 & 1/2 cups Basmati rice
5. 4 bay leaf
6. 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
7. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
8. 1 small green pepper
9. 4 -5 cloves
10. 1/2 tsp elaichi powder
11. 1 tsp jeera

Directions:

Wash rice well in water and keep it aside. Measure twice the amount of water to rice i.e. 3 cups of water to 1 & 1/2 cups of rice and keep it aside. Cut carrots, potatoes and beets into approximately 1 & 1/2 inch length and 1/2 inch width thin pieces. Cut the pepper into thin strips approximately of the same length as the other vegetables. Cut the onions lengthwise. The key is that all the vegetables are long (and not diced) and approximately of the same length.

Add oil in a large pan and when it is hot, add the bay leaf, cloves and let the aroma infuse into the oil for about a minute. Now add the jeera, saute, then onions and saute for about a minute or two. Then add the garlic and mix well. Then add all the vegetables, saute for about 2 – 3 minutes and then add the rice. Saute everything together for about 2 minutes. Add elaichi powder, salt and pepper as per your taste, mix well. Add the measured water, mix well. Taste the water and adjust for seasonings. Turn off the stove. Pour the entire contents into a rice cooker and turn on for cooking. Aromatic rice pilaf is ready in just 20 minutes or so (depending on your rice cooker). The rice picks all the beautiful pink color from the beets and there is born the pretty aromatic pink pulao. Serve hot as is, with a side of raita or with a side of salad to complete the meal.

Pretty in Pink Pulao