Bengali Veg Pulao Recipe
Bengali-style Veg Pulao is a flavorful combination of Gobindobhog rice, vegetables, dried nuts and fruits, and spices. It can be served on its own or with a Bengali curry. Here is how to make it.
Here are some more rice and pulao recipes that you may like: Brown Rice Pulao, Veg Green Pulao, Peas Pulao, Basanti Pulao, and Paneer Pulao.
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Table of Contents
About Bengali Veg Pulao
Bengali Veg Pulao is an aromatic, flavorful rice dish made with Gobindobhog rice, loads of veggies, dried nuts, dried fruits, and spices.
Gobindobhog rice lends it a slightly sweet taste and fragrance, making it unique from other veg pulao recipes.
It is prepared in almost every Bengali household for festival meals or other special occasions. Serve it with fish fry, kosha mutton, or fish kaliya for an unforgettable experience.
Ingredients
All the ingredients for this pulao are available at Indian grocery stores.
Rice – This traditional Bengali recipe uses Gobindobhog rice (a fragrant short-grain variety), which makes it unique.
If this rice is unavailable, you can use other short-grain varieties, but for a traditional taste, I recommend using Gobidobhog rice only.
Veggies – I like to keep it traditional and use veggies like cauliflower, carrots, green beans, potatoes, and green peas. You can add more veggies, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli.
Dried Nuts and Fruits – The addition of dried nuts and fruits, such as cashews and raisins, makes this Bengali vegetable pulao extra rich.
Whole Spices – You will need green cardamoms (hari elaichi), black cardamoms (badi elaichi), cinnamon sticks (dalchini), and cloves (laung).
Ghee – Make this pulao in ghee to add to its rich taste.
You can use oil to make it vegan.
Others – You will also need cumin seeds, green chilies, freshly squeezed lime juice, salt, sugar, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) to make this Bengali veg pulao recipe.
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste.
How To Make Bengali Style Veg Pulao
Step 1: Rinse 1 cup of Gobindobhog rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
Step 3: Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 2-3 green chilies (slit in half) and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
Step 4: Add 5-6 cashew nuts (halved) and 10-12 raisins and fry until slightly browned.
Step 5: Add the following whole spices and fry for 3-4 seconds.
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 2-3 cloves
Step 6: Now add the following veggies and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- ¼ cup cubed carrots
- ¼ cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup peeled and cubed potatoes
- ¼ cup green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces)
Step 7: Drain the rice, then add it to the pan along with the following ingredients.
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 2 cups of water
Step 8: Reduce the heat to low.
Step 9: Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed until the rice has absorbed all the water and is tender (20-25 minutes).
Step 10: Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.
Step 11: Open the lid, fluff the rice gently using a fork, and serve hot.
Storage Suggestions
Bengali veg pulao can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Heat it in a pan or in the microwave until hot enough to serve.
Other Rice Recipes We Recommend
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Bengali Veg Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Gobindobhog rice (of any other fragrant white rice)
- 2 tablespoons ghee (use oil for vegan)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 green chilies (slit in half)
- 5-6 cashew nuts (kaju) (halved)
- 10-12 raisins (kishmish)
- 2 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 whole black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- ¼ cup cubed carrots
- ¼ cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup peeled and cubed potatoes
- ¼ cup green beans (cut into 1-inch piece)
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear, and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 15 minutes.
- Heat the ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds and green chilies and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- Add cashew nuts and raisins and fry until slightly browned.
- Add green cardamoms, black cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, and fry for 3-4 seconds.
- Now add carrots, peas, cauliflower, potatoes, and green beans, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Drain the water from the rice, then add the soaked rice to the pan along with lime juice, salt, sugar, and 2 cups of water.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed until all the water is absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender (20-25 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.
- Open the lid and fluff the rice gently using a fork and serve hot.
Stopped read and commented as this is a Bengali dish. This is one of our fav ones too.
We loved it at home Anindya. Had it with Aloor Dum which I am posting today 🙂