Vegetable Pulav

For Rice:

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice

1 3/4 cups Water 

1tsp Cumin seeds

1 black Cardamom

1 Cinnamon stick (1")

3 small Cloves

2 small Bay leaves

1 Mace/Javitri

Salt

2tsp Oil

How to:

• Soak the rice for 30 mins, drain the water and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, when it sputters, add cardamom through mace.
• Now add the soaked rice and fry for a min.

• Pour the water along with salt and cook in medium heat until it comes to a boil.
• Then reduce the flame, close the lid and cook until fluffy.

Switch off and keep it warm.

For Veggies:

Ingredients:

1 cup Carrot (chopped)

1 cup Green Bell pepper (chopped)

1/2 cup Green Beans (chopped)

1/2 cup Soya chunks (washed & boiled)

1 1/2tsp minced Ginger

3 green chilli (slit)

1tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

Salt

Oil

How to:

• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, followed by carrot and beans. 

• Saute for 3-4 mins, then add bell pepper,  green chilli and ginger, also soya chunks.

• Saute for a min, add salt and then cook with lid closed for 8 mins or until the vegetables are tender.

• Finally add the garam masala powder and saute for another min.
• Reduce to low flame, then toss the cooked rice gently with the vegetables, mixing well.

• Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with onion raita or potato chips.

Also, sending this to the event 'Celebrating Independence Day' hosted by Akila. I chose this dish as it includes colors just like our Flag.

Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

Set A:

1 cup Basmati rice

1 cups Water

1tsp Oil

1/2tsp Salt

1 pinch Saffron

1/4 cup milk (warm)

Set B:

1 cup Green beans (chopped)

1 cup Carrot (chopped)

1 cup Green peas

1 cup Potato (chopped)

4 small green chillies (chopped)

1tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 cup yogurt (plain)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1/2tbsp Chili powder

3/4tsp Salt

Set C:

1tsp Cumin seeds

1 pinch Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Black cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

2 Cardamom

1 Cinnamon stick (1")

1 Black cardamom

3 Cloves

3 Tomatoes (pureed-yields 2 cups)

Set D:

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

4-5 Cashews

1tsp Ghee

1/2 cup Cilantro

1/2cup Mint leaves

How to:

• Soak the rice for 30 mins and drain'em.
• Heat the pan, pour water, add the rice along with salt and oil, and cook the rice at medium heat until fluffier and the water is evaporated. (Cook in medium heat, when the water starts to boil, reduce it to low, close the lid and cook for 10 mins.)

• Mix saffron with the warm milk for a rich flavor and color.

• Now pour the saffron-milk with the cooked rice and keep aside.

• In a bowl, mix the set B ingredients and marinate for 20 mins.

• In a skillet, heat oil, add cumin seeds through cloves (Set C ingredients) and fry'em.

• Then pour the tomato puree and cook with lid closed till raw smell from disappears.

• Now add the marinated vegetables, mix well and cook along with 2 cups of water with lid closed until tender and not mushy.

• Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
• In a baking dish, spread half of the cooked vegetables as a first layer and half of the cooked rice as second layer.

• Then sprinkle the garam masala powder and half of the cilantro and mint leaves.

• Now layer it with the remaining vegetables and final layer with the remaining rice.

• Top with the cashews and drizzle the ghee over it.

• Wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil and cook for 30 mins in the oven.
• Finally, garnish with remaining cilantro and mint leaves.

Serve hot with hard-boiled egg and onion raita.