Mixed Veg Pulav

Aah! This is a great rice dish for veggies and well as for non veggies. The soya chunks in this pulav gives it that super twist of taste. Its one of my mom's signature dish! Here's a lovely fulfilling rice dish specially for you!

Ingredients:

1. Long grain Rice or any Basmati Rice  --  2 cup
2. Water  --  3 and half cup.(measure the water with the same cup which you have used to measure the rice.)
3. Star Anise  --  2
4. Cinnamon Sticks  --  2-3
5. Cloves  --  3-4
6. Black Pepper  --  4-5
7. Green Cardamom seed  --  2 crushed
8. Green Beans  --  sliced 1 cup
9. Carrot sliced  --  1 cup
10. Green Peas  --  1 cup
11. Soya Chunks (Boil in sufficient water and then discard the water and squeeze the chunks)  --  1 cup
12. Cauliflower  --  1/2 cup
13. Paneer  --  100 gm small cubes.
14. Ginger paste  --  2 tsp
15. Garlic paste  --  2 tsp
16. Green Chilli paste  -- 1tsp
17. Coriander and Mint paste  --  2 tablespoon. (Take about one handful of each herb.)
18. Turmeric Powder  --  1tsp
19. Coriander Powder  --  1tsp
20. Garam Masala Powder  --  1tsp
21. Salt  --  as per taste
22. Oil  --  3 tbsp
23. Ghee  --  2 tbsp
24. 2-3 drops of kewra essence.(optional)
25. Lemon juice
26. Sultanas/Raisins and Cashews to garnish  --  8-10
27. Sliced Fried Onions to garnish.

Method:

• First lets quickly clean the vegetables and chop them. I had chopped the carrots in medium cubes and french beans in 1 cm long pieces. 
• I usually wash the cauliflower and then make small florets out of the cauliflower then soak them in hot water with some salt and turmeric for some time and then discard the water and use it for any recipes. 
• Next squeeze the water from soya and fry the chunks using just little oil do not add much oil as soya will consume all the oil and then our dish will be unhealthy. 

• Just shallow fry the paneer using very very little oil :-)
• shallow fry the sliced onion till golden brown I fry the cashews and raisins along with the onions as its for garnishing. 
• Now in a deep heavy bottom vessel heat some oil and 1 or 2 tsp of ghee then add our whole garam masalas to it from ingredients 3 to 7 and just saute for half a minute and then add the coriander mint and chili paste along with ginger garlic paste and fry nicely until it raw smell goes and you get a perfect good aroma.
• You can now add the chopped veggies and soya except green peas and paneer. and saute them nicely for about 2 or 3 minutes.

• At this time add the tumeric, coriander and garam masala powder and mix well.
• Add the rice to the veggies masala mix and fry nicely.
• Just after couple of minutes you should add three and half cup of boil/hot water to the rice veggie mixture and the green peas to it.

     

• Add salt to taste. Now when you taste the water it should taste a pinch salty than your usual taste just a pinch because once its cooks with rice the salt will be perfect to your taste.
• Squeeze lime to it and also 2-3 drops of kewra water to it.
• Cook in high speed till it gets the boil and then reduce to low flame and let it cook with the lid.
• Check and stir periodically.
• Continue to cook in low flame till the rice is fluffy and soft.
• Garnish with fried onions, cashews, sultanas and paneer.
• Enjoy with raita and pickle of your choice.