A meal without a rice bowl seems incomplete. Indeed, rice is one of the staple grains in India, and there are numerous types of rice available in our country and for different varieties meant for different dishes, like there's a variety for biryanis and a separate one for jeera rice and pulao. Upon cooking Basmati Rice grains become long and slender about 24mm+.
The perfect rice for cooking up a pulao or a biryani, the Basmati even by itself is a great accompaniment with curries and yogurt. Rice is easy to find, inexpensive, and the perfect food and base of many classic dishes. For example- butter chicken, soya chunk pulao, and fried rice, etc. Indian rice recipes are not only famous in India but also in world.
Here an excellent list of tempted Indian rice recipes for every occasion:
Masala Khichdi
Masala khichdi recipe is one of the Indian rice recipes is a wholesome, easy to prepare, and a quick one-pot meal using rice, dal and vegetables and Indian spices. This perfect food is considered food for the soul. The proportion of rice and dal or the variety of lentils can be used to make a nutritious khichdi. It is not only light on stomach but also dietary food.
Few tips to follow while making masala khichdi
This is instant making easy rice recipe can be prepared in the rice cooker. Instead of garam masala you can use Indian spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom. As per your taste you can add any vegetables like carrot, potato, green beans onions, and tomatoes.
If you want soft khichdi, increase the quantity of water. This toddler food has a soft texture and full of dietary fiber.
Ingredients:
- One cup of rice
- 1/4 cup of tur dal
- 1/4 cup of moong dal
- 3 cups of water.
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves for a lovely flavor
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Finely chopped one large tomato
- Green chillies3
- Grated ginger 1/2
- Green peas fistful(optional)
- Bay leaf 1
- Cloves 5
Method:
- Wash the raw rice twice or thrice and drain water and set aside.
- Wash the dal thoroughly. Heat oil in a pressure cooker then add cumin seeds and allow spluttering.
- Add curry leaves, cardamom, cloves, chopped coriander stems, grated ginger, and green chilies. Stir fry for few seconds.
- Add the sliced onions and saute till it turns translucent. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
- Add chopped carrots, potatoes, and green peas and cooked on a lower flame for 5 mins. Now add chopped tomato and saute it and lid for 8 mins
- Add water and let it boil. Once the water start boil, add the rinsed rice and dal. Add chopped coriander leaves, if using.
- Place lid and cook on high flame for 3 to 4 mints. Now reduce the flame and cook till the water is absorbed.
- Cooked rice up to 3 whistles. After turning off the heat, do not open lid for 10 mints.
- Now serving dish with raita, yogurt, or pickle.
Soya Chunks Pulao
This Indian Rice recipe is very easy to cook and make quickly when you crave for something. Soya chunks are easily available in the market, while all other ingredients for the pulao can most definitely be found in your kitchen. Moreover, soya chunks of fried rice are a more filling and balanced meal. As we all know, rice contains a lot of carbs in it but misses with the protein option. Soya chunks are rich in protein.
Follow some steps to make soya chunks pulao
Firstly, the soya chunks should be properly boiled so that all the impurities are removed. Also, boiled soya chunks help in digestion process.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup long grain rice
- 1/2 cup soya chunks
- 1/4 cup green peas
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 cloves
- 1 onion(medium) thinly sliced
- Green chilly finely chopped( as per your choice)
- 1 cup 1/4 water
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(for garnishing)
Instructions:
- Rinse rice in water and soak for 10 minutes
- Soak the soya chunks in water and leave them for 15 minutes. Rinse them twice or thrice with water.
- Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a non-stick pan over medium flame.
- Add cumin seeds, cinnamon bay leaf, black peppercorns, and cloves and allow cumin seeds to sizzle.
- Add sliced onion and green chili and saute till it turns translucent.
- Now add the chopped carrots and green peas and saute for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
- Now add the soaked rice and drained soya chunks and mix them well and saute for a couple of minutes over the medium flame.
- Finally, add 1 + 1/2 cups of water and salt.
- Let it boil over medium flame.
- Reduce the flame to low and cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Now soya chunks pulao is ready for serving.
Shahi pulao rice
Shahi pulao is the great delicacy of Indian rice recipes made with basmati rice, tasty veggies, paneer, and shahi masala powder. This Indian pulao recipe is really delicious as well as it is an ideal simple one-pot meal which is typically made for the festival but can also be served for lunch and tiffin box.
Follow some tips to make Shahi pulao
Firstly, it is highly recommended to make this Indian rice recipe using basmati and avoid other rice variations. However, if you do not have access to basmati, you can use Sona Masuari rice to make it more delicious. Secondly, you can add veggies as per your preference. But while adding these veggies, make sure to chop them in a medium shape.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups uncooked rice
- 1 tbsp cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp paneer cubes
- 3/4 cup boiled green peas
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 3 cardamoms
- 1 tbsp chopped mixed fruits(any fruit)
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 tsp saffron strands
- Salt according to taste
Instructions:
- Rinse the rice properly twice or thrice
- Boil the rice. Each grain of the cooked rice should be separated then drain and let it cool.
- Heat the ghee and fry the cashew nuts. Remove and keep it aside.
- Fry the raisins in the same ghee. Again remove and keep aside.
- Add the cinnamon (daalchini), cloves, cardamom (elayachi), and green chilies to the ghee and fry again.
- Add the rice, paneer, green peas, fruit pieces, and salt and mix well.
- Warm the saffron a little, mix in a little warm water and add to the rice.
- Decorate with the fried cashew nuts and raisins.
- Serve with curds or curry.
Tomato Biryani
A simple one-pot tomato Biryani is a flavorful, tangy, and tasty. This perfect food is easy recipe for lunch and dinner prepared with tomatoes and makes us salivate. Coconut milk makes the rice taste good and rich, but if you do not have coconut milk, then just skip it and add water. It is served with simple Raita.
Follow some tips to make Tomato Biryani:
Add some carrot, peas, and beans which are totally optional. Here you can replace the veggies with some soya chunks in your vegetarian rice recipe. You can prepare this recipe either with a mix of vegetables or choice of meat.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp ghee or butter
- 5 or 6 cloves
- 1 bay leaf (Tej Patta) and 1/2 tsp fennel (saunf)
- 2 pods cardamom(elachi)
- 1-inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 1 tsp cumin (jeera)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chili, slit
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup tomato puree and Half tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp biryani masala and 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 carrot, cubed
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp peas
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 2 tbsp mint (finely chopped) and one cup of water
- 1 cup basmati rice (soaked 20 mints)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Initially, in a pressure cooker heat ghee or butter and saute spice.
- Add 1 onion, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, and 1 green chili and saute it well.
- Now added 1 cup tomato puree and cook till it releases oil.
- Further add 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp Chilli powder, 1 tsp biryani masala, and 1 tsp salt. Saute well altogether.
- Additionally, add vegetables as per your choice.
- Now add 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water and mix it well.
- Furthermore, add 1 cup soaked basmati rice and give a good mix.
- Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles on low flame.
- Finally, tomato biryani is ready to serve.
Tawa Pulao
Tawa pulao is a popular south Indian rice recipe of rice and vegetables sauteed together with pav bhaji masala and other spices-herbs. It is a popular and tasty rice recipe. Mixed the cooked rice with pav bhaji gravy and roughly chopped vegetables, it is unique recipe appreciated by almost all ages of person. Tawa pulao goes best with yogurt, raita or an onion-lemon salad. Also accompany a roasted papad and a lemon or mango pickle by the side
Important tips while preparing Tawa Pulao Recipe
Firstly, prepare the boiled rice, make sure rice should not be sticky and let it cool completely before preparing the Tawa Pulao recipe, or else the rice turns over spongy and it just looks like khichdi. You can alternatively use leftover rice to hasten the process. You can add a variety of vegetables to make it more nutritious. To make it extra spicy you can add chili powder, it is optional. Added Pav bhaji masala which has sufficient spice makes the Tawa rice more delicious.
INGREDIENTS:
- Boiled Rice
- Two tsp butter
- One tsp cumin (Jeera)
- Half onion, sliced
- One tsp ginger garlic paste
- One carrot (chopped)
- Two tbsp capsicum (chopped)
- Two tbsp peas
- Five beans (chopped)
- Three fourth tsp salt
- Two tomatoes (finely chopped)
- Two and a half tsp pav bhaji masala
- One-fourth tsp red chili powder
- One potato (boiled and cubed)
- Two tbsp coriander (finely chopped)
- One tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a pan or Kadai/wok heat 2 tsp butter. Add the cumin and fry them till it turns aromatic.
- Now add 1/2 onion and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and saute till translucent so that the raw aroma of garlic paste goes away.
- keeping the flame on medium, add 1 carrot, 2 tbsp capsicum, 2 tbsp peas, 5 beans, and 1/2 tsp salt stir fry until the vegetable cooked slightly.
- Then add the finely chopped 2 tomatoes and saute until the tomato turn soft and mushy.
- Now add all the spice powders - turmeric, red chili powder, and pav bhaji masala and saute until the oil is released from the masala paste. Now add cooked/ boiled rice.
- Mix gently without breaking the rice.
- Add 2 tbsp coriander and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Mix it well.
- Serve hot tava/tawa pulao with onion tomato raita or cucumber raita or plain yogurt.
Ultimately rice meal is only the food in which any veggies can be added very easily. But healthy or not healthy something really depends on your ingredients and how it is cooked. The above recipes use the quick and right method to make healthy vegetables rice recipes, but it also should be careful not to depend too much on heavy cooking oil or salt for flavor.
