1cupchopped veggiescarrots, beans, potatoes, peas, cauliflower - veggies of your choice
a handful of coriander leaves chopped
1-2 tomatoes diced
5-6cloves
2green chilies
1-inchginger
1tspgarlic powder or 2-3 garlic bulbs
1/4cuponion/ spring onion
8-10whole black pepper
1cinnamon stick
2bay leaves
1tbsplime juice
Salt
1cupof water
1tbspclarified butterghee or vegan butter
Instructions
Prepare the puree: add cilantro, tomatoes ginger, chilies, pepper, cloves in a blender and make a thick paste. This can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Add lime juice if it is being stored in the fridge
Turn on instapot in saute mode, add oil or ghee, cinnamon, garlic, cumin, cloves. Let it turn aromatic. You can add onions here, and cook until translucent. I have skipped onions
Now add 1 cup puree, (or 4 tbsp of thick paste), and mix well.
Mix in veggies and rice, add salt and water(puree + water not more than 1+3/4 cups). Turn off saute mode, turn on pressure cook mode, and cook for 6 mins or you can opt to cook in rice mode
Add butter, lime juice and gently mix and serve with Raita (cucumber yogurt side)
Notes
If you are using the pressure cooker, rice to water ratio is 1:2. If you add too much water, Pulao will turn out sticky. I use organic long-grain rice, and it needs a little more than 2 cups of water to cook the rice just right.