Pudina Rice, Mint Pulao or Pudina Pulao is a very popular dish, especially in South India. You’ll find that this pudina pulao recipe is one of the easiest rice dishes to make and the flavors of this dish are simply fabulous. Here is how to make it.
Simple and quick recipes are like a god gift to the people who have busy and hectic schedules on weekdays and I am sure you would want to rest on the weekends because that’s the only time you get.
Such days, you just want a simple dish that is tasty and filling at the same time.
While there are many recipes that I can show you that can be made on such days, but today let’s make one such recipe, Pudina Rice or Pudina Pulao.
It is a great Pulao to be made during weekdays and can be served along with simple raita.
You can even pack it for your Kids Lunch Box.
What’s great about this pulao is the mix of different vegetables, rice, and the delicious masala that go in to make it a complete meal in itself.
And it’s also a great way to feed those vegetables to your family.
Along with veggies, the refreshing flavor of the pudina just adds the right amount of zest to the whole dish.
It’s not too heavy on the stomach and it’s also not too spicy, so it’s a very versatile pulao that’s going to be loved by all.
Here are some easy rice recipes for your weekday meals – Curd Rice, South Indian Tomato Rice, South Indian Lemon Rice, Ellu Sadam, Palak Rice, and South Indian Coconut Rice.
What is Pudina Rice?
It is a simple rice preparation that is very popular in some parts of South India.
It is a delicious combination of mint leaves and rice that is loaded with vegetables.
We are using a lot of pudina in this Pudina Rice recipe and the key is to get hold of some really fresh mint leaves.
It really adds that refreshing taste to this recipe that makes you want to eat it more and more.
I have added potatoes, carrots, beans, and peas, but you can add any vegetable of your choice to make this delicious Pulav.
Process
To make Pudina Pulao, first, a refreshing and flavourful Pudina Masala is made using fresh mint leaves, coriander leaves, chopped onions, chopped ginger, garlic, chilli, and freshly grated coconut.
All the ingredients for the masala are mixed in a blender to form a smooth paste.
A little water can be added to the paste if required.
Next, some vegetable oil is heated in a pan and to then cumin seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, and cashew nuts are added and fried until the cashews turn slightly brown.
To this chopped onions and chopped tomatoes are added and fried.
Then the pudina masala is added in and cooked along with potatoes, carrots, beans, and peas for a few minutes.
To this aromatic vegetables and masala mix, rice is added along with water and salt.
The rice is allowed to cook on low heat for a few minutes.
Once cooked, it’s best to serve this pulao hot with some raita.
If you have pre-cooked rice, you could also use that and mix it in with the masala and vegetables.
I love the mix of simple flavors in this pulao; simple ingredients are used to make this quick mint pulao.
Also do try the Veg Kashmiri Pulao recipe that we have on the blog after you try this Mint pulao. It’s quite delicious too.
Pro Tips by Neha
Use fresh mint and coriander to make the masala paste.
You can use any vegetables of your choice to add in the pulao.
I have added potato, carrot, beans, and peas but you can also add cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, etc.
Even paneer tastes great in this recipe.
Try adding some fried or grilled chicken to make Chicken Pudina Pulao.
Do not overcook the masala paste otherwise it will turn dark in color.
Cook the pulao covered on very low heat. It will make the grains of rice cook perfectly.
South Indian Pulav or Pulao are mostly cooked using small grain sona masoori rice.
But you can totally sue any variety of rice including basmati rice to make this.
Cook the rice in thin coconut milk instead of water for a change in taste.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve Pudina Rice along with plain curd or any raita.
I also serve some mango pickle and papad along with this mint pulao.
Some of the raitas that can be served with this Pulav – Easy Cucumber Raita, Carrot Raita, Boondi Raita, Pomegranate Raita, Pahadi Kheere Ka Raita, and Tomato Onion Raita.
Step by Step Recipe
Add the ingredients to make Pudina masala in a blender and blend to make a smooth paste.
Add little water if required. Keep the paste aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cloves, black peppercorn, and cashew nuts and fry until cashew nuts turn slightly browned.
Add onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the pudina masala and cook for a minute.
Add potato, carrot, beans, and peas and fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add rice along with 2 cups of water and salt to taste and mix gently.
Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat until all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked.
Pudina Rice Recipe
Ingredients
For Pudina Masala
- 1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves (Tightly Packed)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander
- 1/4 cup Onion (Chopped)
- 1 inch Ginger (Chopped)
- 5-6 Garlic
- 2-3 Green Chilli
- 1/4 cup Fresh Coconut (Grated)
For the Rice
- 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2-3 Cloves
- 4-5 Black peppercorn
- 8-10 Cashew Nuts
- 1/2 cup Onion (Sliced)
- 1/4 cup Tomato (Chopped)
- 1/4 cup Potato (Peeled and cubed)
- 1/4 cup Carrot (Chopped)
- 1/4 cup Bean (Chopped)
- 1/4 cup Peas
- 1 cup Sona Masuri Rice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to make Pudina masala in a blender and blend to make a smooth paste.
- Add little water if required.
- Keep the paste aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cloves, black peppercorn and cashew nuts and fry until cashew nuts turns slightly browned.
- Add onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add the pudina masala and cook for a minute.
- Add potato, carrot, beans and peas and fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes until the masala is dry.
- Add rice along with 2 cups of water and salt to taste and mix gently.
- Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat until all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked.
- Serve hot with raita.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!