Special Vegetable Pulao and Happy Dussehara

A very happy Dussehara to all my lovely readers. The blog statistics have been truly encouraging pointing towards a sharp upward trend in the past few days and it has been a great source of encouragement to go on. Thank you for visiting.

A special vegetable pulao is what I am posting today. "Special" not because of the ingredients or the method of cooking used but because of the love and care that went into the making of this dish.

Just the other day I was not keeping too well in the evening (a bad headache and a terrible feverish feeling) and decided to take a short nap. I really did not have the strength to put anything together for dinner (didn't want to have the pizza either). Anyway went for a nap with the thought that I would be better when I wake up. Slept off for more than an hour and was woken up by hubby dear at around 8 pm. Was not feeling too good anyway but walked into the kitchen with the intention of heating up some leftovers.

Imagine my surprise, as I walk into the kitchen I see this delicious looking pulao, cucumber onion raita and pappad all laid out on the table with plates and glasses all ready for dinner. Hubby (he can just barely make a cup of tea) decided to cook (just the weekend before I had made this pulao and chicken curry for our beach trip and he stood watching very intently...and decided to try it out:)and this is what he had made for the three of us. Surprise, surprise it was all the way and I am completely lost for words.


He was so excited and me too felt better and pepped up almost immediately. He even agreed to click these snaps for the blog. It is indeed these small pleasures in life that bring big happiness. Life's truly worth living..every moment of it.

Here's the recipe of hubby's vegetable pulao
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Vegetables - 400 gms (carrots, beans, green peas, cauliflower -all washed and finely chopped) *(he used a 400 gms packet of frozen vegetables)
Water - 3 cups
Green cardamoms - 3
cloves - 3
cinnamon - 1" stick
Peppercorns - 4 to 5
Salt to taste
Butter or ghee - 1 tbsp

Method for vegetable pulao:
1- Take a pan and add in the ghee/butter(you may even use oil if you want to cut down the calories further). Now add the vegetables and saute till soft.
2- Add the washed and drained basmati rice and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the spices(green cardamoms, cloves,cinnamon and pepper corns) and mix well.
3- Add the water and salt to the vegetables and rice(the water has to be salty only then will the pulao have enough salt when cooked). Cover and cook till the water completely dries. Switch off the gas and keep covered for anothe 5-7 minutes.
4- Open fluff up the rice with a fork. Serve with a raita of your choice and pappads.
A delicious, tasty and nutritious meal is ready in minutes.