Coconut milk pulao recipe | How to make veg pulao with coconut milk

• 2 tbsp Oil or ghee (adjust as needed)

dry spices

• 1 large bay leaf or tej patta
• 1 star anise or chakri phool
• 6 to 8 cloves laung
• 2 inch cinnamon or dalchini
• small piece nutmeg or jaiphal
• 4 to 6 green cardamoms or elaichi
• ¾ tsp shahi jeera or caraway seeds
• 1 strand mace or javitri

to powder (optional, but adds a lot of flavor)

• ¾ tsp fennel seeds or saunf
• ¼ tsp pepper corn

other ingredients

• 2 cups rice basmati
• 2 tsp ginger or ginger garlic paste
• 2 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, potato go well)
• ½ cup soya chunks or meal maker (optional)
• 1 green chili (deseeded and slit)
• 8 to 10 cashew nuts (optional)
• ¼ cup mint leaves or pudina (chopped finely)
• 3 ½ cups coconut milk
• Salt as needed

1. Wash rice at least twice and soak it for about 20 minutes. Drain to a colander and set aside.
2. Powder fennel seeds and pepper to a fine powder. Keep this aside as well.
3. Heat and pan, add oil and fry the dry spices until they begin to sizzle.
4. Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell leaves. 
5. Add fennel pepper powder and quickly stir. Be quick otherwise it gets burnt faster.
6. Next transfer the chopped veggies and green chilies. Fry for 2 minutes. 
7. Add mint leaves and fry them as well.
8. Pour coconut milk and add salt. Bring it to a boil.
9. Completely drain off water from rice and add it to the pan.
10. Cook on a medium flame until the coconut milk is absorbed by the rice.
11. When there is very little moisture left, lower the flame and cover with a lid. Cook until the rice id done.

If cooking in a pressure cooker

1. You can cook the rice for 1 whistle on a medium heat if using basmati rice. For other kinds of rice, you can allow to whistle twice.

If cooking In a pot,

1. Cook until the rice is done. If needed sprinkle water as needed. Keep the pot covered for some time.
2. Fluff up vegetable coconut milk pulao and serve.