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Vegetable pulao
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Ant Duncan
Vegetable pulao
Recipe by Aktar Islam
‘A simple and easy, fragrant vegetable pulao; I’ve just used a basic veg selection but you can be as imaginative as you like,' says chef Aktar Islam
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time:
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
434Kcal
Fat
9gr
Saturates
5gr
Carbs
75gr
Sugars
4gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
10gr
Salt
0.8gr
Aktar Islam
Aktar Islam is the chef-owner of Michelin-starred Opheem restaurant in Birmingham, and has launched Aktar at Home, a successful finish-at-home dining experience.
See more of Aktar Islam’s recipes
Aktar Islam
Aktar Islam is the chef-owner of Michelin-starred Opheem restaurant in Birmingham, and has launched Aktar at Home, a successful finish-at-home dining experience.
See more of Aktar Islam’s recipes
Ingredients
- 500g basmati rice
- 50g ghee (or unsalted butter or oil)
- 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 green chillies, stalks snapped off
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 large salad potato (about 90g), cut into 1cm dice
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1cm dice
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 100g green beans, cut into 2.5cm lengths
- 150g frozen peas
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- handful of coriander, finely chopped
Step by step
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear then soak in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. Melt the ghee in a large pan, then add the cardamom, peppercorns, cumin seeds and bay leaves followed by the green chillies.
- After allowing the whole spices to infuse for a minute, add the sliced onion and caramelise lightly on a low heat; 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, blanch the diced potato and carrot in boiling salted water for 4 minutes until only just tender, then drain.
- Add the potato and carrot to the onion and sauté on a low heat for 5 minutes or until the potato is cooked and mashes easily against the side of the pan.
- Now add the salt, green beans and peas. Drain the soaked rice and add to the pan, shaking the pan to even out the rice and veg.
- Add 750ml boiling water to just cover, then add the lemon juice and reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover with a tight-fitting lid for 10-12 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Set aside off the heat, for 10 minutes or so, lid on. Just before serving, fork the coriander through.