By Devi Poojari
This robustly spiced Maharashtrian take on boring pulaos is essentially a lighter version of a vegetable biryani but takes very little effort and just one cooking pot, to throw together.
1 cup basmati rice, washed 1 carrot, chopped ½ eggplant, cubed ¼ cup green peas 1 potato, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 pinch asafoetida 1 star anise 1 piece cinnamon 2 cloves 1 onion, chopped 6-7 garlic cloves, smashed 2 green chillies, chopped 2 tablespoons peanuts
1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon garam masala 1 pinch saffron 2 cups water 1 stock cube 2 tablespoons grated coconut 2 tablespoons fried onions 3 tablespoons ghee Salt, to taste
Heat the ghee in a large cooking pot and add the whole spices to let them bloom.
Add the asafoetida and the garlic to let it cook for a minute, until aromatic.
Add the green chillies and once they begin to splutter, add the chopped onion and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add the peanuts and let them toast in the flavoured oil till they deepen in colour.
Tip in the vegetables and toss to combine and cook until they begin to soften slightly.
Meanwhile, dissolve the stock cube in water and add the saffron, to let it soak.
Add all the spice powders to the vegetables and mix thoroughly before adding the rice and letting it coat in all the flavour and seasoning with salt.
Pour the reserved stock water into the pot and bring it to a roaring boil before simmering it with a lid on, for 12-15 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked through, mix well and garnish with lots of grated coconut and fried onions. Serve hot.
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