My hubby had a potluck in his office and he works for an American company, so he told me that he wants some Indian dish,which is a demand from his office.I wanted to make a dish where there is a touch and aroma of Indian spices with loads of veggies which attracts all health consious people. As I had to make the dish befor my hubby goes to the office,so i decided to make Vegetable Pulav which is easy.

Differance between Pulav/briyani/fried rice

Briyani-The name biryani or biriani is derived from the Persian word bery?(n) which means “fried” or “roasted”.This dish originated from the family of Middle Eastern,South Asian dishes made from a mixture of spices,rice(usually basmati), meat/vegetables and yogurt.Biryani is made by the draining method of cooking rice.In biryani the main ingredient is at the base of the vessel.Biryani uses lots of aromatic masalas. There are many kinds of biryanis such as Hydrabadi Briyani,Lucknowi briyani ect.,and each kind is tasty and unique on its own!Its a full meal by itself.

Pulav/pulao- It is also a full meal by its own.Pulao is made by the absorption method of cooking rice.Pulav is lighty fried with clarified butter/ghee or Oil,so that each rich keral is coated and then is steamed with other veggies nuts spices etc.It is also known as Pilaf, polao, pilau, pilav, or pulao.

Fried rice-Fried rice is a popular component of Chinese cuisine and other forms of Asian cuisine. It is made from rice fried in a wok, typically with additional ingredients left over from other dishes.There are dozens of varity of fried rice-Chinese fried rice,Singapore fried rice,Asian Fried rice.

So lets gear up and start up for the day with vegetable pulav:)

Serving: 4 adult

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Basmati Rice/Plain rice

1 cup riceRice for Vegetable Pulao

Vegetables(use as much colour veggies as you can and as much as you want)
1 Onion -sliced
1/4 cup cut carrots-cut in any shape
1/4 cup cut capsicum(red ,yellow,green)
1/2 cup broccli
1/4 cup chopped French beans
1/4 cup peas
1   green chilli/red chilli-sliced
Bay leave
2tbs Canola oil (can use vegetable/corn oil also)  Note: I have tried with all types, but it came out too good with canola oil. All the above oil helps in reducing bad cholestrol and improving the good cholestrol)
Spices
1/2tea spoon Cardamom powder
1/2tea spoon clove powder
1 Cinnamon Stick powder
1/spoon cumin seeds

Nuts
8-10 Almond broken/Cashews
few raisins

Procedure

1. Soak the rice in water for ten minutes and then drain. 
2. Take half tablespoon of oil in a pan. 
3. When the oil is hot, add the rice to it and fry for some time.   
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the cooker. 
5. When it is hot, add some cummin seeds,and the spices and bay leaves. 
6. Stir for a while and add chopped onions to it. 
7. Stir the onion till it is golden brown.   
8. Add the vegetables after frying for a minute. 
9. Add rice and water(2.5cups of water). 
10.Cook in the cooker till two whistles. 

Optional- Improves the taste but add more fats to the dish.

11.In a pan heat half spoon Ghee (Clarified butter).Put the dryfruits when the ghee is hot.

Garnish with the dryfruits and serve hot with manchurian,any gravy vegetable or just with yogart/curd/raita.

Nutrition value of each vegetable used:-

1) Broccli-Broccoli is high in vitamin C and soluble fiber and contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties including diindolylmethane and selenium. A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C.

2) Carrots-Carrot is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber,Vitamin k,Vitamin A & Maganese.

3) Capsicum-The fruits contain 0.1 – 1.5% capsaicin, a substance which stimulates the circulation and alters temperature regulation. Applied topically, capsaicin desensitizes nerve endings and makes a good local anesthetic. The seed contains capsicidins, which are thought to have antibiotic properties.

4) Beans-Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. Plus green beans are very good source of vitamin A(notably through their concentration of carotenoids including beta-carotene), dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. And, green beans are a good source of magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin.

5) Green Peas-Green peas provide nutrients that are important for maintaining bone health. Green peas also serve as a very good source of folic acid and a good source of vitamin B6. These two nutrients help to reduce the buildup of a metabolic byproduct called homocysteine, a dangerous molecule can obstruct collagen cross-linking, resulting in poor bone matrix and osteoporosis. One study showed that postmenopausal women who were not considered deficient in folic acid lowered their homocysteine levels simply by supplementing with folic acid by itself.

6) Greenn chillies/red chillies-Red chili peppers, such as cayenne, have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation, while increasing the body’s ability to dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot pepper is used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism. Spicing your meals with chili may also protect the fats in your blood from damage by free radicals—a first step in the development of atherosclerosis.

Hope you like my recipe. Happy Cooking:)