Veg Green Pulao (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao) is a delicious twist on the classic veg pulao where a green masala paste is added to it. It is best served with raita and papad on the side (vegetarian, gluten-free).
Here are some more rice recipes that you may like – Shrimp Pulao, Chicken Pulao, Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao, Gucchi Pulao, Achari Chana Pulao, and Bengali Style Veg Pulao.
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About Veg Green Pulao (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao)
Veg Green Pulao (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao) is a delicious Indian rice dish where rice is cooked with aromatic spices, veggies, and freshly made green masala paste. It is super easy to make, very delicious, and healthy too!
If you have some leftover green chutney, you can use it in place of the green masala paste.
This green veg pulao is best served with boondi raita, roasted popadums (papad), and some sliced onions on the side. Serve it for lunch or dinner or pack it in the school and office lunchboxes.
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free and can be easily made vegan. You can also double or triple it as per your need.
Ingredients
To Make The Green Paste
This pulao gets its unique flavor from the green masala paste made using fresh mint leaves, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), fresh ginger, garlic, and green chillies.
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste.
You can also add some grated fresh coconut to this paste for a taste change.
For The Pulao
To make the green veg pulao recipe, you will need rice, whole spices, spice powders, ghee, onions, veggies, lime juice, and salt.
I prefer to make this pulao in ghee due to the flavor it lends to the rice. You can also make it in vegetable oil or olive oil instead.
Long grain basmati rice is the best choice, as it turns out aromatic, separate, and fluffy.
Whole spices such as cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamoms, black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves 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.
Green peas, green beans, carrots, and potatoes are my favorite fresh vegetables to include in this pulao, but you can also add in other veggies such as baby corn, bell peppers, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. This chutney pulao is a great recipe to use all the leftover veggies sitting in the fridge.
How To Make Green Pulao
Make The Green Masala Paste
Add
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1 cup cilantro (coriander)
- 2-inch piece of ginger (chopped)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic (peeled)
- 3-4 green chilies
to a blender along with ¼ cup of water.
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.
Once the ghee is hot, add
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns
- 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
Add 1 cup chopped onions and fry until lightly browned (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, and cook for 10-12 seconds.
Now add ½ cup peas, ½ cup chopped green beans, ½ cup cubed carrots, and ½ cup cubed potatoes, and saute for another minute.
Drain the water from the rice and add the soaked rice to the pan along with 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 and ½ cups of water, 2-3 bay leaves, and 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
Rice to water ratio is important in this recipe. If the quantity of water is more, you will end up with mushy sticky rice.
Cook the rice undisturbed on low flame to get the perfectly cooked grains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Press SAUTE button and follow the steps until adding rice to the pot. Now add lime juice, 1 and ½ cups of water, bay leaves, and 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. Do a 10-minute NPR once the timer goes off. Then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid and fluff the pulao.
To make it in a pressure cooker, pressure cook for 2 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure 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, sprouted chickpeas raita, lauki ka raita, burani raita, and carrot raita. Serve a roasted/fried papad, sliced onions, and lemon wedges on the side.
This is a great dish to pack for the lunch box also.
Storage Suggestions
Veg Green Pulao will easily last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, stored in an air-tight container. Reheat it in a pan or microwave until nice and warm.
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Recipe Card
Veg Green Pulao Recipe (Hariyali Pulao, Chutney Pulao)
Ingredients
To Make The Paste
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves (pudina leaves) (packed)
- 1 cup cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) (packed)
- 2 inch piece of ginger (roughly chopped)
- 4-5 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 3-4 whole green chilies (stalks removed)
For The Pulao
- 1-½ cups long-grain basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons ghee (or oil)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns
- 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 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 fry 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 saute 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.
Hephzibah
Took effort as I was cooking this for the first time but.. It was all worth it.