Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Indian Vegetable Pulao
印度香料雜菜飯
Recipe overview
Use basmati labelled for no soaking and about 10–12 minutes of cooking, with small diced vegetables. The 20-minute cooking time includes a 5-minute rest off the heat.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 300 g No-soak basmati rice with 10–12 minute cooking directions
- 100 g Carrot
- 100 g Frozen peas
- 100 g Green beans
- 100 g Onion
- 8 g Ginger
Cooking oil
- 15 ml Neutral oil
Curry seasoning
- 2 g Cumin seeds
- 3 Green cardamom pods
- 1 x 3 cm Cinnamon stick
- 3 g Salt
- 550 ml Boiling water
02
Tools
- Heavy pot with tight lid
- Sieve and measuring jug
- Board and knife
- Fork and kettle
03
Steps
Step 1
Check rice directions
Confirm the basmati needs no soaking and cooks in 10–12 minutes; add time if the packet requires soaking or longer cooking.
Step 2
Rinse rice
Gently rinse rice 2–3 times in cold water until clearer, then drain in a sieve without soaking.
Step 3
Cut small vegetables
Wash produce; dice carrot to 5 mm, trim beans and cut 1 cm lengths, finely dice onion and mince ginger.
Step 4
Prepare water and spices
Boil 550 ml water; lightly crack cardamom pods while keeping them whole, and leave cinnamon intact.
Step 5
Bloom whole spices
Heat oil on medium for 30 seconds; fry cumin, cardamom and cinnamon for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 6
Fry onion and ginger
Add onion and ginger for 1 minute until onion starts turning translucent; no browning is needed.
Step 7
Coat rice and vegetables
Add drained rice, carrot, beans and frozen peas; fold for 30 seconds.
Step 8
Add water
Pour in 550 ml boiling water and salt, stir once and return to a boil in about 1½ minutes; cover tightly.
Step 9
Simmer 11 minutes
Cook on the lowest heat for 11 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring; follow differing packet times and adjust the total.
Step 10
Rest 5 minutes
Turn off heat and keep covered for 5 minutes to let moisture distribute through the rice.
Step 11
Check and remove spices
Open away from steam; rice must have no hard core and beans must be tender. Remove cardamom and cinnamon; add a little hot water and cook longer if underdone.
Step 12
Fluff and serve
Fluff from the pot edge with a fork without crushing grains and serve 4 portions.
Common mistakes
- Different rice needs different timing; read the packet first.
- Large vegetables stay firm when rice is done; use the stated sizes.
- Frequent opening loses steam and leaves rice raw; wait for the timer.
- Skipping the 5-minute rest gives uneven rice; it is included in the 20 minutes.
Tips
The 550 ml water is for this 300 g rice and finely cut vegetables in a tight-lidded pot; follow a different specified packet ratio when needed. The quick schedule requires no-soak rice cooking in 10–12 minutes, with water boiled during the 10-minute preparation.
