MIXED VEGETABLE & LENTIL PULAO

6 servings, 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice

• 3/4 cups red lentils or yellow mung beans 

• 2 tbsp ghee 

• 4 bay leaves 

• 1/4 tsp black pepper corns 

• 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds 

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 fennel bulb, chopped 

• 2 green onions, white parts chopped (optional, you can save the green parts for garnish if you'd like)

• 4 carrots, chopped

• 4-5 celery sticks, chopped

• 1-1.5 cup green beans, chopped (or any seasonal vegetable - broccoli, cauliflower, green peas all work great)

• 1-2 tbsp fennel fronds or fresh cilantro or parsley (optional) 

• 2 tsp cumin powder, freshly ground

• 2 tsp coriander powder, freshly ground

• 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or garam masala

• Water for cooking

• Lime or lemon juice for topping 

• Fresh cilantro for topping 

• Salt and pepper to taste 

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse the rice and lentils until the water runs clear. Place it in a large mixing bowl and soak with water while you assemble the other ingredients.

2. Add ghee to a large pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaves, black pepper, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom seeds. Heat until aromatic.

3. Add the fennel bulb and green onion if using. Add a pinch of salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

4. Stir in the vegetables and sauté for about 1 minute. Then add the fresh fennel fronds if using, keeping the stems if you want (it can be a rough chop - the stems have a lot of flavor).

5. Drain the rice and lentils and add them into the pan. Stir in the powdered spices. Mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes for the rice/ lentils to absorb all the spices.

6. Add enough water to cover the rice and vegetables by 1 inch (about 4-5 cups). Cover and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes - do not touch the rice while it is cooking, it will disrupt the grain and the cooking time.

7. Once done - mix the rice from the bottom up so you don't damage the grain - this leads to an overall better-textured rice dish. Finish with lots of fresh herbs on top and lime or lemon juice for topping. Enjoy!

#onepotmeal #kidfriendly #vata #pitta #kapha #fall #summer #winter #spring

Notes

• I love cooking rice in this way - not disturbing the grain, keeping it all intact; a one-pot meal that has lots of flavor and can stand on its own instead of just a side.

• Pulao is a rice dish that spans many countries - Persia, Asia, and the Middle East. It can be made in a variety of different ways - usually with onion instead of fennel - I am just using fennel here as an aromatic sattvic (more harmonizing to the mind than onion) alternative.

• You can have this all year round, cycling the vegetables used for whatever is in season, and using more spice in the colder months, less spice in the warmer months. Make it your own!

• I like to serve it with a chutney such as the coconut chutney or cucumber raita.