Vegetable pulao

Method

1. 1 Cut each vegetable into cubes of about 1.5 cm so they all cook at the same time.
2. 2 Soak the rice for 30 minutes, then drain it completely.
3. 3 Sauté cumin and cardamom in ghee, then stir-fry onions for 5 minutes.
4. 4 Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 4 minutes, then add the rice and stir-fry for another 3 minutes.
5. 5 Sautéing the vegetables first before adding the rice is a way to prevent them from becoming mushy when the rice is cooked.
6. 6 Pour in one and a half times the amount of hot water as rice, cook for 15 minutes, and let it steep for 10 minutes.

With an appliance

• Microwave 42 min

  Replace step 6: put the rice, sautéed vegetables, and hot water into a bowl, cover loosely, microwave at 900W for 13 minutes, then let it sit for 8 minutes; reduce the heat for about 4 minutes. The even heat distribution helps the vegetables cook without becoming mushy, the rice is fluffy, and you don't need to constantly monitor the heat. Steps 1 and 4 still involve cutting the vegetables to the same size and sautéing them beforehand so that they cook simultaneously.