Weekends are the days devoted for single pot meals (pulav / variety rice recipes) at our home. These one pot recipes make my life real easy on weekends when I would have gazillion errands to run! If you are very busy and yet you wish to have something homemade, then I would suggest single pot dish! They make wholesome and delicious meal. Sort of a quick fix lunch when you need to whip something up in a jiffy !
Last weekend I tried simple carrot rice recipe. I had a bag of shredded carrots that I had used in this recipe. You can even use grated carrots.
Use basmati rice or any long grain rice. Basmati rice would make the dish even more flavourful. Cook basmati rice as per the instructions listed in the label (attached with the bag) or you can follow my method. For pulav,briyani or any other one pot dish, I generally fry basmati rice prior cooking it. I pressure cook the rice.
Tips to cook rice with grains nicely separated:
- Wash and clean rice.
- Drain the water and leave it aside.
- Meanwhile heat one tsp of oil (for 1 cup of rice).
- Add washed rice and fry for 2 -3 minutes on low flame.
- Switch off the stove and allow it to cool (for sometime).
- Add 1.25 – 1.5 cups of water (for 1 cup of rice) and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles.
Time Taken: 25 – 30 min
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
Basmati rice: 2 cups
Shredded carrots: 1.5 cups (or more)
Onion: 2 (chopped lengthwise)
Green chillies: 3 (slit lengthwise)
Cilantro: few (chopped finely)
Ginger: 1 tsp (minced)
Garlic: 1 tsp (minced)
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cloves: 2-3
Cinnamon: 1 inch piece
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Asafetida (Hing/Perungayam): 1/8 tsp
Salt: to taste
Roasted peanuts: Fistful (use unsalted ones – optional)
Cooking oil: 4-5 tsp
To Garnish
Spring onions: few (Chopped)
Preparation Method:
- Cook rice such that the grains are separate.
- Heat oil and do seasoning with cumin seeds, cloves, turmeric powder, cinnamon, ginger and garlic.
- Add onions and sauté till transparent.
- Add carrots, salt, pepper powder, peanuts and garam masala.
- Add little cilantro and reserve the remaining.
- Fry for few minutes till carrots turn soft.
- Sprinkle water if necessary.
- Once done add rice and mix thoroughly.
- Garnish with remaining cilantro and spring onions.
- Serve hot with onion raita.
Share & Enjoy! -