Aromatic Vegetable Pulao
Basmati simmered with whole spices and vegetables until every grain separates. The rice does the work if you get the water ratio and the resting time right.
By Vegan Cook. Published 5 August 2026
Ingredients
Serves 4.
- 2 cupsbasmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear, then soaked 20 min and drained
- 1bay leaf
- 2green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 12cm cinnamon stick
- 3cloves
- 1onion, thinly sliced
- 1carrot, diced small
- 1/2 cupgreen beans, cut into 2cm pieces
- 1/2 cupgreen peas, fresh or frozen
- 1potato, peeled and diced small
- 3 cupswater
- 2 tbspneutral oil
- 1 tspsalt, or to taste
Cookware
- Heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
Method
Read each step end-to-end before starting.
- 01
Soak the rice
Rinse the basmati rice in cold water 3-4 times until the water runs mostly clear, then cover with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain well and set aside. This step is what keeps the grains separate.
- 02
Fry the whole spices in oil
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and let them sizzle for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Frying the whole spices in hot oil like this, before anything else goes in, builds the base flavour of the dish. You will smell the aroma change.
- 03
Soften the onion
Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until soft and light golden at the edges.
- 04
Add the vegetables and rice
Add the carrot, beans, peas and potato and stir for 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and stir gently for another 2 minutes to coat every grain in oil without breaking it.
- 05
Steam
Pour in the water and salt, stir once, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a tight lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
- 06
Rest and fluff
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. This finishes the cooking with trapped steam. Then fluff gently with a fork, lifting from the bottom rather than stirring, to keep the grains whole.
Allergen profile
Every recipe here is fully plant-based. Cross-contamination risk depends on your kitchen, so check all packaging.
Swap note
Naturally gluten-free and nut-free as written.