Coconut Vegetable Pulao

Me and hubby both are big fans of any kind of pulao being it a vegetable pulao or greens rice like spinach/methi/coriander/mint rice or a simple jeera rice.They are very easy to make and forms a very good one pot meal and also a nice lunch box dish too.Coconut milk when added to the pulao gives a mild flavor and aroma to the pulao and also makes it much tastier than the regular one and when paired with any spicy gravy makes an excellent combination.The addition of grated coconut makes you feel the crunchy taste and feel of coconut in each and every bite.

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati rice
2 medium carrots,diced
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup fresh/frozen green peas
1/4 cup frozen/fresh corn
2 tbsp scraped fresh coconut
1 medium onion,sliced(optional)
2-3 green chillies,sliced
1" cinnamon stick
4-5 cloves
1 star anise
1 green cardamom
1 Bay leaf
salt to taste
1 tsp butter
2 tsp oil


Method:

• Soak Basmati rice in enough water for 10 mins.Drain the water and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker or thick bottomed pan and add cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,star anise and bayleaf and fry for a minute.
• Add chopped green chillies and sliced onions and fry until the onions are translucent.
• Add chopped carrots,peas and corn and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add soaked basmati rice and fry again for a minute.Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 3/4th cup of water to it and add enough salt and let it come to a boil.
• If you are using cooker,pressure cook for 1 whistle,lower the flame and let it cook for 7-8 mins.If you are thick bottomed pan cover it with a lid and let it cook on low flame for 12-15mins.
• Add scraped coconut to it at the end and give a nice stir.
  

Serve it with any gravy dish/kurma and tomato-onion raitha with papad.

Notes:

1. You can even add finely diced beans/potato/cauliflower to the above pulao.
2. Avoid butter for a Vegan version.