Vegetable Pulao
I recently had the great pleasure of meeting a young mom of northwestern Indian extraction. Seema is teaching me to cook traditional vegetarian Indian food, which she learned from her mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law. She's demystifying the spices and cooking techniques that have made Indian food seem complicated to me in the past, and I can't tell you how excited I am to share what I learn!
Indian food is one of my all-time favorite cuisines, not only for its flavors but also its inherent healthiness. It's vegetable-based. Rice and lentils and beans create complete proteins when eaten together. And when you make it at home, you can control the fat and spiciness to your preferences. I'm learning that cooking Indian food is like any other cuisine: If you build an edited pantry of spices and learn some basic techniques, it quickly becomes part of your repertoire.
The first dish we cooked together is called vegetable pulao, an Indian fried rice. It's a perfect use of leftover rice - just like Chinese fried rice, pulao is particularly good when made with cold, cooked rice. It's also great for using up any vegetables that need to be eaten, so feel free to improvise.
For about 2 people as an entree, or 3 as a side, you will need:
- 1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed well
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Lal mirchi, to taste (Lal mirchi is Indian red chili powder, and it is very spicy. Taste it first to gauge your heat tolerance and add it 1/8 teaspoon at a time. If you can't find Indian chili powder, try cayenne or hot paprika.)
- 3 fresh curry leaves, available at Indian grocery stores.
- 2/3 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2/3 cup finely chopped green pepper
- 1/3 cup green peas (frozen are fine, defrosted)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 cup diced plum tomatoes (plum tomatoes are nice, because they hold their shape when cut.)
- Plain yogurt, called dahi
- Optional: Cilantro, to garnish
Directions:
COOKING THE RICE: Really good pulaobegins with making a rice where each grain is separate. This means boiling, rather than steaming the rice, and removing any excess starch. Rinse the rice well in cold water, then add to a pot with at least 5 cups of cold water and a pinch of salt. Place over high heat and cook 10-15 minutes, until just tender, but not mushy. (If you like your rice a little al dente, go for the shorter cooking time; more soft, the longer cooking time. Immediately drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
VAGAR: Vagar is the process of toasting the spices in oil before adding them to the dish. This brings out their flavor and sweetness and tempers any bitterness.
In a non-stick saute pan, wok, or large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil and the cumin seeds over medium high heat, allowing the seeds to brown for about 30 seconds once the oil is hot. (The cumin seeds will burn very quickly, so err on the side of caution.) Next, add the mustard seeds, frying them until they begin to pop. Then add the onion, ginger, green pepper, and the curry leaves, and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the peas and any other vegetables you choose to add. Finely diced potatoes are a nice addition, as are thinly sliced green beans and diced carrots. Cut all your veggies very small and add them in the order of cooking time - the vegetables that take the longest to cook should go in first.
When the vegetables are about 75% cooked, add the rice, and lower the heat to medium to prevent sticking. Stir until well mixed. Add the turmeric powder (this is more for color than flavor - too much will make your rice bitter) and the lal mirchi and salt to taste. Finally, stir in the diced tomatoes for freshness, and garnish with chopped cilantro and plain yogurt.