Punjabi Wadi Chawal (Wadi Pulao)

Punjabi Wadi Chawal is a traditional pulao prepared with rice, wadiyan and spices. It uses simple ingredients and comes together in 30 minutes. Here is how to make it.

Try a few more pulao recipes, that are perfect for your weeknight dinner – Chicken Pulao, Veg Pulao, Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao, Gucchi Pulao, Achari Chana Pulao and Brown Rice Pulao.

About This Recipe

Wadi Pulao or Wadi Chawal is a delicious combination of rice, onions, spicy urad dal wadi and spices. It is quite popular and prepared very often in Punjabi households. It is healthy, super easy and comes together in under 30 minutes.

It is best served on its own with a raita on the side or with Punjabi curries such as Rajma Masala, Punjabi Chole etc. Serve it for your weekday meals, pack in lunch box or as a side dish with your festive or special meals.

What is Punjabi Wadi?

Punjabi Wadi or also called wadiyan, are mildly spiced, deliciously flavoured sun dried dumplings made from lentils or pulses.

The lentils are ground to a fine paste and mixed with a few spices. It is then spread in small chunks and kept in the sun to dry. It is also a great alternative to use instead of soya chunks and meat.

A vegan and gluten free speciality from the Northern part of Indian, it is used to make sabzi (stir fry), curry or pulao recipes. The wadis are often fried slightly before adding in the recipes, as it gives an extra flavour and texture to the dish.

Ingredients

Rice – Basmati long grain rice is my preferred choice to use in pulao recipes, as they turn out aromatic, separate and fluffy. You can even use other healthy alternatives such as brown rice, quinoa, couscous instead, but the water ratio and time will differ.

Whole Spices – This pulao is flavoured with whole spices such as bay leaf, cinnamon and green cardamom. You can also throw in a few cloves and a black cardamom for an added flavour.

Wadi – I have used spicy urad dal wadi/wadiyan, but you can use any variety of vadi that is available easily for your.

Others – Oil, ghee, onion, green chillies, salt, garam masala and lemon juice are a few other ingredients used in the pulao.

Avoid adding onions for a jain version.

Use ghee for an added rich flavour in the rice.

Adjust the amount of green chillies depending on your taste.

Lemon juice adds a refreshing taste along with a little hint of tanginess.

Frequently asked Questions:

Serving Suggestions

Wadi Chawal is a delicious pulao recipe that tastes great on its own or with a side of raita such as boondi raita, beetroot raita, lauki raita or palak raita.

It also tastes great with dals or curries such as vegetable kadhi, lobia curry, palak chole, rajma masala, dal makhani or any other curry that you prefer.

Storing Suggestions

Wadi Chawal will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, when stored in an air tight container. Reheat in a pan or microwave until nice and warm while serving. Sprinkle a little water to add in moisture while reheating.

Step by Step Recipe

Wash the rice and soak in enough water for 20 minutes. Heat oil in a pan.

Once the oil is hot, fry the wadi until they are browned. Drain and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan.

Add bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom and fry for a few seconds.

Add onion and fry until golden brown.

Drain the rice and add it in the pan along with green chilli, salt, garam masala and lemon juice.

Add 4 cups of water and fried wadi.

Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat until all the absorbed and rice is cooked. Remove the pan from heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve hot with any raita of your choice.