Can you make the royal Pulao (pilaf in Persian) a healthy, power-packed, protein dish? Yes, you can. You can make your pulao healthier by adding a handful of lentils. This may sound weird. You make think whether I end up making pulao or khichdi. Yes, I am cooking pulao with a handful of lentils to ensure it is protein rich. There are lots of lentil varieties. Today I used the brown variant.
Red Lentil or Masoor Dal in Hindi is rich in protein, vitamin, antioxidants and what not! Fondly called as 'the powerhouse of nutrients', this dal helps stabilize blood sugar levels, get rid of extra cholesterol, and more importantly this dal aids in weight loss.
Serves - 2
Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 3/4 cup
Water - 1.5 cups
Masoor dal - 3 tbsp
Cut vegetables - 1 cup (beans, carrot, capsicum, potato, sweet corn kernels, peas)
Salt - to taste
For marination:
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 2 tsp
For seasoning:
Oil - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Red chilli powder - 1 pinch
Preparation:
Soak dal in water for one hour.
Saute all the ingredients mentioned under 'marination' list except curd and kasuri methi. Let them cool; add curd and kasuri methi and grind them to a fine paste.
Cut all the vegetables and marinate them in the gravy for minimum 30 minutes. More you marinate, better will be the flavor and taste.
Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker; add the items mentioned under 'seasoning'. Once you get nice aroma, add the marinated veggies. Saute for a while until excess water evaporates.
Add soaked and drained masoor dal, basmati rice, salt and water. Pressure cook for one whistle in low flame. Once the pressure is settled, open the cooker and fluff the rice gently.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Protein punched pulao is ready to serve. We enjoyed this hot piping pulao on a rainy Sunday with onion raita.
Note:
Red Lentil or Masoor Dal in Hindi is rich in protein, vitamin, antioxidants and what not! Fondly called as 'the powerhouse of nutrients', this dal helps stabilize blood sugar levels, get rid of extra cholesterol, and more importantly this dal aids in weight loss.
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| Protein pulao with paneer shredded on top |
Serves - 2
Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 3/4 cup
Water - 1.5 cups
Masoor dal - 3 tbsp
Cut vegetables - 1 cup (beans, carrot, capsicum, potato, sweet corn kernels, peas)
Salt - to taste
For marination:
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 2 tsp
For seasoning:
Oil - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Red chilli powder - 1 pinch
Preparation:
Soak dal in water for one hour.
Saute all the ingredients mentioned under 'marination' list except curd and kasuri methi. Let them cool; add curd and kasuri methi and grind them to a fine paste.
Cut all the vegetables and marinate them in the gravy for minimum 30 minutes. More you marinate, better will be the flavor and taste.
Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker; add the items mentioned under 'seasoning'. Once you get nice aroma, add the marinated veggies. Saute for a while until excess water evaporates.
Add soaked and drained masoor dal, basmati rice, salt and water. Pressure cook for one whistle in low flame. Once the pressure is settled, open the cooker and fluff the rice gently.
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| after opening the cooker... |
Garnish with coriander leaves.
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| fluffed rice |
Protein punched pulao is ready to serve. We enjoyed this hot piping pulao on a rainy Sunday with onion raita.
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| Banana leaf gives an additional flavor to the dish |
Note:
- I have shredded about 50 grams of paneer on top of the pulao for an extra dose of protein. That's purely optional. Paneer can also be cut into cubes and added.
- Adjust red chilli powder and green chillies according to your taste.
- I have not added any whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves to this pulao. You can add them while seasoning.
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