Pulav is a complete one pot dish loved by rice lovers. It is an elegant complete meal in itself and very nutritious because of all the vegetables in it.
Pulav was not a common dish at our place 20 years ago. People here prefer rice and gravies to these dishes. I started making different types of pulavs at my home because my husband and kids loved these. There are still many houses where pulavs are never prepared, though they are becoming part of functions these days. One of the reasons for this may be, basmati rice is very expensive compared to normal rice.
I got this recipe from a book when I was newly married and moved to my new home. Over the years I have made a few changes to the original recipe. The version I have posted below is something I have been following for many years now. It is very simple and gets ready very quickly. Everyone at home loves this dish. I serve this with a simple raita – (tomatoes, onions, green chillies, coriander leaves mixed with yogurt).
Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups vegetables – green beans, carrot, fresh peas, potato, cauliflower
1/2 cup onion
Ghee
Coriander leaves and tomato slices for decoration
Salt
To be ground to a paste:
1 tea spn ginger pieces
1 tea spn garlic pieces
1 tea spn chilli powder
1 tea spn coriander seeds
Method:
Soak the rice in water for about ten minutes. Drain the water and spread the rice on a paper towel for drying. Cut the vegetables into small cubes.
Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the onions for three minutes. Add the paste and fry for 3 – 4 minutes. Add the rice and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetables, salt and enough water to cook(about 2 and half cups). Cover the vessel and cook on a medium heat till the water is absorbed and rice and vegetables are cooked.
Decorate with tomato slices and coriander leaves.
Serve hot.
Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 25mins
Well said Aayi, its indeed an elegant & complete meal, also not time consuming either, will try it out & let you know. Thanks again.
This Pulav looks yummy and is also very easy to make. will try it soon and let you know
i can smell this through the screen. thanks or a beautiful recipe.
Simple recipe Varadpachi, I still wonder why the name “Red Pulav”. Shall try it soon.
Shilpa: Its because of the almost red color of the pulav because of chilli powder. Let us know when you try it 🙂
It looks beautifully festive; I love these too now and then…and hey! Nice job of moulding! Would you like to cater my wedding? 😀
Shilpa: You are pulling leg of wrong author 🙂
Beautiful..the rice looks so perfectly cooked..thanks 🙂
Looks mouthwatering..I have an award for u here http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/08/dal-palak-paratha.html
Oooops! Sorry….but, well, your mother can help cook for the wedding too as long as she brings along some of every pickle she has made! 😉
This is a lovely healthy and quick dinner – thanks for sharing!
Wow one more amazing recipe…….. will try dis pulav soon .thnx Aayi…….
simple neat recipe..
Very nice, very simple.
Throughout grad school, I resorted to my ‘Pressure cooker Zindabad’ pulao recipe LOL! Thank you for posting a nice variation.
Wow….the pics is so picture perfect & a matching easy recipe too! Shilpa …i really appreciate your Aayi posting her recipes here…..seems like we can get best of both worlds here! 😉 thanks.
aunty
i have tried this recipe. The taste was good. But mine was little bit sticky. Urs look awesome…….
any hint.?
geeta
Shilpa: Geeta, two things – may be the rice was not fried properly. When fried properly, it does not get sticked to eatch other. Second one is, the water quantity. Next time, use less water and see if it helps. Also, don’t mix the rice again and again while it is cooking or after it is cooked. It is okay to mix it once or twice very gently. These are the tips aayi gives me always when I cook any pulavs or biryanis.
Hmm…… Pulao’s my favorite, I tried it at home and it turned out great. It become more tasty with onion raita. But I was having tough time finding the various ingredients you had mentioned where I live and then I found a great resource online. It is called http://www.myethnicworld.com and they have good selection of various ingredients needed.
Will defintly try more recipies fom aayee
This looks delicious and an easy recipe too ..
Would this taste good if i use any other rice(sona masoori )or do you recommend using basmathi rice only??
Looks yummy. and very simple.
Shilpa, pulav is not only a quick fix meal but delicious too..Just a bowl of raita to go with it ..
Great pulav with achar and raita
http://www.decisioncare.org
hi shilpa..
This red pulao tastes yummy…
just tell us some more variety pulao and fried rice..
Can u pls tell us about the green pulao…
Thnx
Shilpa: Its on the site.
hi shilpa..
Can u pls give me the link for the site..
Thnx
Shilpa: Please check the rice items(left bar).
Tried this recipe, it turned out just wonderful. I some how liked the pulao on its own, even though I made the raitha, it was pure adulterated taste I guess !! Thanks Aayi once again.
Looks so nice and I’m sure it smells great. Thanks for this elegant side dish recipe.
Thanks Varadpachi & Shilpa for the recipe, i made it this morning and what i liked is the coriander seeds aroma in this pulav, it was indeed reddish in colour.
can we add roasted red chiies(badgi)instead of red chilli powder?
Shilpa: You can powder the chillies and use.
Hi Aayi and Shilpa,
I have been a regular reader of this blog and really love your recipies. This pulav was so easy to make and is a tasty one pot meal. 🙂
Thanks for posting this one. Looking forward to more recipies like this 🙂 .
Hi,
Very good recipe!! good work keep it up!! It will help to improve the cooking for those who want to learn.
I just cudnt believe that i made this….
It was just toooooooooooooooo delicious….
Great idea…Thanks…
NaresH
Very easy and delicious pulav, Pachi.. Made it for dinner yesterday..was tired making Teekh Tukdi and Shankarpali..so decided to make an easy rice item..As always, AR is the first site i refer to for anything..Zeroed on this pulav…and it was quick and tasty..Loved it..In fact my hubby commented that this is the best pulav i have made till date!!
Thanks a ton……. 🙂
HI,
i came to know abt this site through my cousin, and after having look at this, i am really amazed, the receipes which u have mentioned is very good, and tasty, most of the things i know as i know cooking, but, you have done a very good thing to the persons who don’t know cooking, and to whome who know cooking, but still get dumb sometiomes whyle cooking:-)
so thanx a lot for creating this, its really wonderfull
ALL THE BEST
Geetnjali
Bangalore
hiii.
i love ur recipies.itz alwayz sumthin new.n for a beginner like me its a great help.thnx alot for all the mouthwatering recipies.:) .i just wanted to know what are the side dishes with pulav?
Shilpa: I make a simple raita sometimes.