"Spiced Vegetable Coconut Milk Pulav (Rice)" ... Here is a simple Satvik No Onion-No Garlic pulav ... Just added on some crushed spices and coconut milk ... Goes well with spicy curries/raita ... Yummilicious ....
** This is a simple Vegetable pulav prepared with the addition of coconut milk that I prepare often when I am on a No Onion-No Garlic spree. As I have written many times before we Hindus comes across many auspicious days wherein we either observe complete fast or at times have foods that do not contain rice items like during Ekadashi, then there are a few days were in we have one meal a day and that can be with rice but it has to be without onion or garlic. Off course Non-Veg is prohibited on all types of fasting days. I have added many pulavs with onion and garlic which I call satvik pulav, this time I have added on coconut milk and coarsely crushed spices to the pulav instead of adding on as it is as we do for pulav and it tastes simply awesome. Remember, I had mentioned one of my friends always followed this method as her son was reluctant to eat any pulav prepared with whole spices added to it as he did not like it. You just need to pulse the spices to coarse powder and add on to the pulav and it does taste awesome with any spicy gravy, but I had this one with simple homemade curds.
** The addition of coconut milk tends to make the pulav slightly sweeter in tastes so you need to add in additional pepper for giving it a spicier tinge. The coarsely ground pepper does impart an awesome taste to the pulav unlike normal ones. Again, you can prepare the coconut milk added to the pulav in your home or use the readily available ones. I follow any method that suits me as per the availability and time I have in hand while I prepare the dishes. If I am not in a hurry, I make it a point to prepare the coconut milk at home and when I am in hurry I use the readily available ones which I always store at home in case of emergency. This time I have prepared it at home as I need to add on both thick and thin milk to the pulav. It is always better to prepare it at home as the freshness of the same is guaranteed. Though the procedure is easy, it is time consuming as you need to first grate the coconut, then soak it in hot water and then squeeze out one milk and then again another, all this does take time and as in today's fast moving space we are hard pressed for time, it becomes convenient to use the readily available ones.
** I had long back written the method of obtaining coconut milk of coconut gratings many times in recipes, but it was becoming repetitive in new posts. So to make it easier I had written about the same as a separate post a year back only to miss posting it for some unforeseen reasons. Somehow, even now I am finding it difficult to do justice to blog though I do make several posts a week. In my excitement to cook or to not spoil the veggies I am always cooking something new on daily basis, but not able to edit both the pictures or the recipe. Choosing, cropping and labeling all takes time not to mention writing, above that there is always some personal issue that needs to be dealt with. I can just write only the recipe and add in one picture without any step pictures etc. and post like many do, but somehow I am not comfortable with it. If not all at least certain recipes that are a little bit out of ordinary needs step pictures or else it is sort of just taking readers for a ride or not caring if they have understood. I want people to understand, like and cook our Konkani Cuisine and not just browse through and it gives me great satisfaction when I get feedback mails.
** So finally, I have made a separate article on method of preparation of coconut milk and henceforth will be sharing only the link to it. Thanks to all my friends who suggested many posts that needs to be posted separately, will do so in given time. And also thanks to all who appreciate the step by step pictures I collage for proper grasping of the recipe. I know it is time of Videos now, but frankly I don’t think I will ever get into it as I am working alone without any help on this Blog and going into video means asking outside help which I am very reluctant to do so on personal experiences and that which I hear from friends. Again, it is double work as the blog too should be maintained as sometimes they are too fast to note the ingredients etc. Well, this is exclusively my opinion and I do feel pictures also tell a lot if observed keenly and if they are given in steps then I am sure they are that much easier for all of you. Do try out this simple pulav and enjoy with some spicy accompaniment if you like your dishes spicier in taste. You can prepare the same with whole garam masala too, instead of coarsely powdered like the one I prepared before again to which I am sharing the link below.
** Here is my simple method of preparing "Spiced Vegetable Coconut Milk Pulav (Rice)" … My Style …
** Ingredients :
Basmati / Jeera Rice – 2 cups.
Cashew Nuts : handful halves.
Salt to taste.
Ghee : ½ cup
Thick Coconut Milk : 1 cup
Thin Coconut Milk : 3 cups
Hot Water : 1 cup
** Vegetables :
Beetroot : 1 medium sized
Carrot : 1 medium sized
Fresh Green Peas : ½ cup
** Spices :
Cumin Seeds / Jeera : 3 tsp
Cinnamon / Dalchini / Tike Saal : 2” length 1 piece.
Fennel Seeds / Badisep / Sauf : 2 tsp
Black Pepper / Kali Miri : 4 tsp
Cloves / Laung / Lavang : 4-5
Green Cardamoms / Yellu : 3
Crushed Jaivitri : ¼ tsp
Star anise : ½
** Soak Jeera Rice / Basmati Rice in plenty of water for 30 minutes. Wash well and let drain on a colander to drain off as much water as possible.
** Add all the ingredients given under spices into mixer grinder and using pulse mode coarsely powder the same. Do not make it into a fine powder. It should be coarsely ground as shown in the collage picture. Keep this ready aside.
** Peel of the skin of carrot and beetroot and cut them into small sized cubes. Add them to the boiling 1 cup of water and cook till 80% done, lower the heat and keep it simmering but do not let the veggies get over cooked.
** Note : You can add in any veggies of your choice too, like cauliflower, beans, Ivy gourd etc. Just see to it that they are cooked just about 85% before adding to the pulav.
** Also in a separate vessel bring to boil the thin coconut milk and keep it ready.
** Now in a thick bottomed kadai add in ghee. When hot, lower the heat and add in cashew nuts and fry to a light brown color. When done remove and keep it aside in a plate to garnish later on. Now add in the drained rice and fry on medium heat for a minute. Lower the heat to minimum, cover and keep it for a minute.
** Now add in the coarsely ground spices, salt to taste and mix well for a minute. Add in the simmering veggies along with the left over water in it and also the thin coconut milk and mix well. Raise the heat and bring all the ingredients to a boiling point. Then lower the heat cover with a tight lid and allow the rice to get cooked.
** Meanwhile bring the thick coconut milk to a boiling point separately and add this to the rice once it is cooked to about 85 % and mix well. Cover and cook till done. Keep the rice cooked slightly on softer side than the normal pulav as it tastes better when soft with milky flavor. When done remove, garnish with the fried cashew nuts and cover with tight lid and keep it aside for 10 minutes before serving.
** "Spiced Vegetable Coconut Milk Pulav (Rice)" is done and ready to be served. You can serve this with any spicy curry of your choice. You can also serve it with Dal-Fry or any other spicy curry or raitas too. I had it with just plain curds as it was fasting day for me, but yes you go ahead and serve it with the dish of your choice. Do try out this simple pulav and enjoy with your family and friends.
** Note : If you want to add readily available coconut milk and do not want to be burdened with the task of preparing it fresh, no problem, I too sometimes do the same. However, the ones available are thick milk, so keep aside about 1/2 or 1/3 of the thick one to be boiled and added later on and add required amount of water to the remaining 1/2 or 2/3 and bring to boil and use as mentioned turning it as thin coconut milk and your job is done faster.
** Note : Do not put pressure or mix vigorously immediately upon opening the lid of the kadai when the pulav is just done. The cooked rice grains are hot and tender at this point and may get mashed on doing so and the pulav may turn mushy. Always open the lid of pulav and biryani and let the hot air pass of a bit, wait for 2-3 minutes and then serve the spatula by lifting pulav from kadai as serving and here too do not try mixing.
** For the method of preparing “Fresh Homemade Coconut Milk”, Please follow the link given below …
** You can also check out on this one “Satvik Carrot-Beetroot-Tomato Masala Pulav” Recipe, Please follow the link given below .....
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