Soya Chunks Vegetable Pulao Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 45 mts, soaking of rice: 15 mts

Serves 6 persons.



Ingredients:

3 cups basmati rice – washed and soaked in water for 15 mts

1 cup dried soya chunks - washed and boiled in water till soft

2-3 tbsp ghee

1 tsp shah jeera

2 bay leaves

2 big onions finely sliced

1 tbsp grated ginger

3-4 green chillies slit length wise

1 cup chopped mixed vegetables like beans, green peas, carrots or potatoes

½ tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

3-4 tbsps of fresh mint leaves (pudina)

3 cups of freshly extracted coconut milk

2 ½ cups water

2-3 tbsps lemon juice

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

3-4 bread slices (cubed and lightly fried in ghee) - optional

8-10 cashewnuts (lightly roasted in ghee till golden brown)

For Masala Powder (lightly dry roast in a pan and grind to a fine pwd)

2 green cardamoms

4 cloves

2” cinnamom stick

3-4 pepper corns

1/4 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1-2 dry red chillis

1 Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add shah jeera and bay leaves and stir for a few seconds till the jeera splutters. Add the sliced onions, grated ginger and green chillis. Saute the onions till they turn pink.
2 Add the mixed vegetables and on medium heat, let them cook. Add salt and keep covered for 4-5 mts.
3 Add turmeric pwd, masala pwd and combine well. Stir fry for a minute.
4 Add the cooked soya chunks and keep covered for 2 mts. Add the mint leaves and combine.
5 Add the coconut milk, let it come to a boil, reduce heat and add the water. Bring to a boil again.
6 Add the drained basmati rice and mix well. Add salt, if required, at this stage. Reduce heat to medium and let it cook covered with lid.
7 Finally, once the rice and vegetables are cooked, add the lemon juice, fried bread cubes, fried cashewnuts and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
8 Serve with raita, mixed vegetable curry or chicken curry.




Note:

The above spices measurements can be categorised as medium spice. You can increase the use of green chillis, cloves, pepper and dry red chillis, if you want a spicer pulao. I have used less spice to suit my toddler’s palate. If you dont have a coconut on hand, replace the coconut milk with water, but the flavor of pulao will differ.