Pudina Pulao( Mint Pilaf)

I grew up on a bevy of rice dishes in my home town of Bengaluru, each iconic in its own way. This pudina pulao is one amongst these rice dishes, that was seen as a treat and one that I always looked forward to eating. It's a delicious green colored, mint and cilantro flavored rice. The dish is full of delicious vegetables and other spices that make this an absolute feast for the senses. It's also vegan and gluten-free.

More about Pudina Pulao

Pudina pulao is traditionally a Southern Indian dish. We typically prepare it by mixing cooked rice with a mint and cilantro based paste. It also contains a mix of spices and chillis(chiles) that adds flavor without being too spicy. Top with some roasted cashews and serve with a side of pachadi/raita, chutney or sagu.

This dish is quite popular in Southern Indian eateries and is typically eaten for lunch.Some popular vegetables that we use are cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, green peas. You can also add some paneer for added flavor and protein or firm tofu will work as well.

Ingredients and substitutions

Spice paste

• Herbs: Mint, Cilantro
• Whole Spices : Clove, Green Cardamom, black pepper
• Aromatics: Fresh or frozen ginger and garlic.
• Others : Fresh or frozen shredded coconut, green chillis, salt. I used Indian green chillis but feel free to sub with anything milder.

Vegetables

I used a combination of a 2 cup of cauliflower, a cup of onion and half cup each of green peas and carrots. Feel free to use any vegetables of your choice and you can also throw in frozen vegetables.

Rest of the ingredients

• Whole Spices : Cumin seeds, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon.
• Rice : I used basmati rice. This recipe will work with any medium or long grain lower starchy rice. Some Southern Indian varieties are Sona Masoori, Jeeraga Samba. You can also make this any leftover rice you have.
• Salt, neutral cooking oil like avocado.

How to make Pudina Pulao

• Preparing the rice : I used basmati rice and prepared it in an instant pot. Use a ratio of 1.25:1 for the water and rice respectively. Place the valve in the "sealed" position and pressure cook at high for 9 minutes. Open the lid as soon as the pressure seal "falls" or all the steam has been naturally released. Use a fork and fluff up the rice to ensure the rice remains separated.
• Preparing the other ingredients : While the rice is cooking, prep the ingredients and make the mint- cilantro masala paste.
• Making the base : In a large pan, add the cooking oil and cook the whole spices for 2-3 minutes in medium heat. This will help release the flavors and aroma in to the oil before adding the onions. Cook for 5 minutes or so before adding the other vegetables. Mix well and season the vegetables. Cover the pan with a lid and let the vegetables cook for another 5-7 minutes. Check on them every few minutes to mix and you can also add some water to if the pan is getting dry.
• Add the mint paste : Now mix in the mint paste and mix well. Add a few spoons of water if required. Let this cook for 7-10 minutes. Season with more salt if required.
• Mix in the rice : Add the cooked rice 1-2 cup at a time and mix gently. This helps prevent the rice from breaking down. Season the rice a little and taste as you mix. Once its done, top with some toasted cashews and fresh mint leaves.

Making the Pudina Pulao in an Intant Pot(IP)/Pressure Cooker

IP

You can also choose to make the entire dish in the IP which will make it an almost one-pot meal(win-win!).

• Prepare the masala paste as per instructions
• Heat the IP using the 'saute' function at low heat settings(press the saute button till you see low on the screen - the other options being medium and high). Add the oil, whole spices and saute the onions. Follow steps until the vegetables are added.
• Now add in the rice, masala paste and water. Season with 3-4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.
• Check if all the rice and vegetables are just submerged under the water. If not, add more water until they are. Close the lid and pressure cook at high for 10 minutes.
• Let the steam naturally release before opening. Add any cooked beans, pan or air fried paneer, tofu etc. Mix the pulao and check if it needs more seasoning before serving.

Pressure Cooker

Follow the same steps as above. Cover the lid and once you see steam being release from the vent pipe, cover it with the pressure regulator or "weight". Let the pressure be released 3-4 times before turning off the heat. Wait until all the steam has been released before opening the lid.

Variations and what to eat with the pulao

Like I mentioned before, you can make different variations to suit your nutritional needs. You can add different vegetables including potatoes, kohlrabi , broccoli, asparagus etc. If you are not a fan of cilantro, then replace it with the same amount of mint leaves for a more 'minty' pulao!

You can add more protein by including roasted paneer, tofu, soy chunks/ curls or some cooked beans like rajma(kidney beans), chickpeas, black beans, cannelini, edamame or northern beans. You can also include cooked lentils and it will taste great. Just make sure to adjust for seasoning and bump up the spices a little to ensure the add ins are not bland.

Typically we will serve pulao with raita/pachadi which are yoghurt based. Raita is usually something like raw tomatoes/onions/cucumber mixed with thinned yoghurt and seasoned with salt, cumin powder, chilli powder topped with chopped cilantro. You can go a step ahead and add some tempered red chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds which will make it pachadi.

You can also serve some sagu(vegetable stew) and/or chutney alongside.

Tips for meal prep, storage and reheating

Meal Prep

Pulao : You can prepare the entire dish ahead of time. Once you make the pudina pulao, do not top with the toasted cashews. Let it cool down to room temperature before storing in the freezer or in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be frozen for 2-3 months.

Prepping the paste and veggies : You can prepare the masala paste and the veggies that you want to use. Store in the freezer in a freezer safe container or bag separately. Use both directly from the freezer while cooking.

Storing leftovers

Store in the refrigerator for 3 days and freeze for around 2-3 months.

Reheating

Reheat in the microwave or using the "keep warm" option in an instant pot. If frozen, let the pulao thaw overnight preferably. Then reheat in the microwave or the conventional oven. If you want to heat the frozen dish right away, then heat in the conventional oven at 350 deg f for 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle some water before heating whether heating in the microwave or oven to prevent the rice from drying out.

I hope you give this lovely dish a try soon! Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Please use the comment section below to let me know. You can also follow along on social media on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.

Recipe