Vegetable Pulav and Cucumber Raita

This is an easy recipe that can be put together in less than 30 minutes.

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Ingredients:

For Pulav:

• 1 cup Basmati Rice
• 2 cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1/2 tsp Dried Mint Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• Whoĺe Spices – 1 inch piece of Cinnamon, 4 Cardamoms, 4 Cloves, 8 pepper corns, 1/2 inch piece of Mace, 2 Bay leaves.
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 1/2 cups Boiling Water

For Raita:

• 1 Cucumber
• 1 cup Yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
• Salt to taste
• Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Wash the rice until the water runs clear, about three times and keep aside.

Melt the ghee in the pressure cooker pot and add the whole spices and cumin seeds.

Add the vegetables and cook on medium flame for about 5 minutes.

Add the turmeric, mint leaves, garam masala salt and pepper and cook for a further 30 seconds.

Add the washed rice, mix well and fry for one minute.

Add the water and let it boil for one minute.

Close with lid, keep the weight on and let it cook for 7-8 minutes on medium flame and the rest it for about 10 minutes. Now I must say this, my pressure cooker is the politest one you will find, it doesn’t whistle! So I have had to adapt my cooking style. Possibly if your cooker whistles and does things a pressure cooker does, I suppose you could cook for one whistle and the rest the Pulav till the steam has completely released.

While the pulav is resting we can make the raita or salad.

Place the cut cucumber, salt, cumin powder and yoghurt in a bowl and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve the pulav with raita.