Vegetable Saffron Pulav

This is a recipe my husband and I are hooked on to, we really like it for its simplicity. I first learnt this from my mother in law and the only addition I made to it is the saffron simply because of the fragrance and lovely color it gives to the rice.

My 21 month old daughter likes this a lot too, and the only change I make when cooking for her is I chop the onions fine and cut the carrot and potato in small cubes.

This tastes good with a Subji or Raita

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice
1 onion
3 green chilies
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
8-10 green beans
2 carrots
1 cup cauliflower florets
3/4 cup shelled peas
2 potatoes
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 bay leaves
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
8-10 cashews
Few strings of saffron
3 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation

Wash and soak the Basmati rice in water for about 30 minutes and drain and keep aside.
Wash and cut the green beans, carrots and potatoes into long and thin pieces of about an inch.
Wash, clean and pick the cauliflower florets.
Peel and chop the onion into thin strips.
Wash and slit the green chilies into halves.
Split the cashews into half.

Putting Together

Heat the oil in a pan if making the pulav in a rice cooker or in the pressure cooker.
Add the cumin seeds and fry till they pop and turn slightly brown.
Add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods and fry till the spices turn slightly brown.
Add the onions, green chilies and ginger garlic paste and fry till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add all the vegetables and fry for a couple of minutes till the vegetables are coated with the oil.
Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
Add the cashews and the strings of saffron.
If cooking in a rice cooker, transfer everything into the rice cooker vessel, close and cook till done.
If cooking in a pressure cooker, close the lid when the water begins to boil and cook till done. (I usually cook until 2 whistles).