Green Pulao (Hariyali Pulao)
Green Pulao (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao) is a delicious twist on the classic veg pulao where a green masala paste is added to the classic pulao. Make it using my easy recipe.
Here are a few more rice recipes: Shrimp Pulao, Chicken Pulao, Soya Mushroom Pulao, and Gucchi Pulao.
About Green Pulao
Green Pulao (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao) is a delicious Indian rice dish where rice is cooked with aromatic spices, veggies, and a freshly made green masala paste. It is super easy to make and very delicious too!
This green veg pulao is best served with boondi raita, roasted popadums (papad), and some sliced onions. Serve it for lunch or dinner, or pack it in the school and office lunchboxes.
This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and can be easily made vegan.
Ingredients
To Make The Green Paste
This green pulao gets its unique flavor from the green masala paste made using fresh mint leaves, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), fresh ginger, garlic, and green chilies.
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste.
You can also add some grated fresh coconut to this paste for a taste change.
Note – If you have some leftover green chutney, you can use it instead of the green masala paste.
For The Pulao
To make the green vegetable pulao recipe, you will need white rice, whole spices, spice powders, ghee, onions, veggies, lime juice, and salt.
Long grain basmati rice is the best choice, as it turns out aromatic, separate, and fluffy.
Whole spices such as cumin seeds, cloves (laung), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), black peppercorns (kali mirch), cinnamon sticks (dalchini), and bay leaves (tejpatta) lend a beautiful flavor when added to hot oil.
This pulao uses basic Indian spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala powder.
I prefer to make this hariyali pulao in ghee due to the flavor it lends to the rice. You can also make it in canola oil or olive oil instead.
Green peas, green beans, carrots, and potatoes are my favorite fresh vegetables to include in this pulao, but you can also add other veggies such as baby corn, bell peppers, mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli.
This chutney pulao is a great recipe for all the leftover veggies in the fridge.
How To Make Hariyali Pulao
Make The Green Masala Paste
Add the following ingredients to a blender along with ¼ cup of water.
- 1 cup mint leaves, packed, rinsed
- 1 cup cilantro, packed, rinsed
- 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic (peeled)
- 3-4 green chilies
Blend to make a fine paste. Set it aside.
Make The Pulao
Rinse 1 and ½ cups of rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in 4-5 cups of water.
While the rice is soaking, make the pulao.
Heat 3 tablespoon ghee in a pan over medium heat.
Add the following ingredients once the ghee is hot, and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns
- 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
Add 1 cup chopped onions and cook until lightly browned (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add the following ingredients and cook for 10-12 seconds.
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
Now add the following ingredients and cook for another minute.
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup chopped green beans
- ½ cup cubed carrots
- ½ cup cubed potatoes
Drain the water from the rice and add the soaked rice to the pan along with the following ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 and ½ cups of water
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Add the green masala paste and stir gently.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low.
Cook undisturbed on low flame for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed by it.
Remove the pan from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Fluff the pulao gently using a fork and serve hot.
Pro Tips By Neha
The rice-to-water ratio is important in this green pulao recipe. If the quantity of water is high, you will end up with mushy, sticky rice, and if it is less, then the rice will be uncooked.
Cook the rice undisturbed on low flame to get the perfectly cooked grains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Press the SAUTE button and follow the steps until rice is added to the pot. Add lime juice, 1 and ½ cups of water, bay leaves, salt, and stir gently. Add the green masala paste and stir gently. Close the lid of the instant pot and press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, do a 10-minute NPR. Then, release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid and fluff the pulao.
To make it in a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure rise naturally. Open the lid and fluff tehpulao.
Just replace ghee with oil in the recipe. All the other ingredients are vegan-friendly.
Serving Suggestions
Hariyali Pulao tastes best with a bowl of plain yogurt (dahi) or raita such as Boondi Raita, Mooli Raita, Beetroot Raita, Lauki Ka Raita, or Carrot Raita.
Serve a roasted or fried papad, sliced onions, and lime wedges on the side.
This is also a great dish to pack for the lunch box.
Storage Suggestions
Leftover green pulao can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a microwave or in a pan with a splash of water to restore moisture.
You can also freeze it for upto a month. Thaw, reheat and serve.
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Green Pulao Recipe (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao)
Ingredients
To Make The Paste
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves (pudina leaves) (packed, rinsed)
- 1 cup cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) (packed, rinsed)
- 2 inch piece of ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 4-5 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 3-4 whole green chilies (stalks removed)
For The Pulao
- 1 and ½ cups long-grain basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons ghee (or oil)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves (laung)
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup chopped green beans
- ½ cup cubed potatoes (½ inch cubes)
- ½ cup cubed carrots (½ inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make The Masala Paste
- Add mint, cilantro, ginger, garlic, and green chilies to a blender along with ¼ cup of water.
- Blend to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.
Make The Pulao
- Rinse rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in 4-5 cups of water.
- While the rice is soaking, make the pulao.
- Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamoms, black peppercorns, and a cinnamon stick and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until lightly browned (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili powder, and garam masala powder and cook for 10-12 seconds.
- Now add peas, green beans, carrots, and potatoes, and cook for another minute.
- Drain the water from the rice and add the soaked rice to the pan along with lime juice, 2 and ½ cups of water, bay leaves, and salt.
- Add the green masala paste and stir gently.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed by it.
- Remove the pan from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the pulao gently using a fork and serve hot.
Took effort as I was cooking this for the first time but.. It was all worth it.