It is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan by replacing ghee with oil. This rice recipe is made in a pressure cooker and usually served with raita or plain curd. Who doesn’t like quick lunch recipes? We all do right! Here is one such delicious recipe loaded with vegetables, and mint flavors, popularly known as pudina rice or pudina Sadam in Tamil. Pudina is a Hindi word that means mint. We use mint in many recipes like chutneys, salad dressing, sabudana khichdi, and in a variety of rice dishes like this. Pudina rice is mint flavored rice usually cooked as a one-pot meal along with a variety of vegetables and some whole Indian spices. This is a very mildly spiced rice preparation, unlike biryani. Lately, I and my husband are enjoying backyard gardening. One of the first vegetables/herbs that we started growing is Mint / Pudina. It is growing very nicely and we are enjoying it in different dishes and drinks. As you all might know that I have started the mint recipe series last week and so far I have shared 2 mint recipes – Mint salad dressing and Sabudana khichdi in the green paste. Mint is highly recommended for indigestion as it is a good source of antioxidants. Mint leaves are a good source of vitamin and minerals and it helps improve immunity and keeps one safe from inflammation too. It is thus a great idea to include recipes made with mint in your diet.
Why you will make this dish?
A winner recipe for its taste, simplicity, and refreshing aroma.A one-pot healthy meal gets ready in no time.It goes really with any curries, raita, or curd.Perfect for kids lunch-box or office lunchPerfect for pot-luck parties, Gettogathers, or any other occasion.You can customize it with whatever veggies you haveIt’s not too heavy on the stomach and it’s mild in taste, so it’s a very versatile pulao that’s going to be loved by all.
Ingredients required
To make a green paste, you will need
Mint – The hero herb of this aromatic rice dish. You will need a large bunch, leaves removed, and washed properly. Use fresh mint leaves/pudina only in this recipe as it gives it a refreshing flavor and aroma. Dried mint leaves will not have the same effect.Cilantro – Same as Mint, use cleaned and fresh cilantro leaves.Ginger and garlic – Gives nice aroma and flavors. You can use Ginger and garlic paste too.Fresh coconut – I used fresh coconut. You can substitute with unsweetened desiccated coconut if a fresh one is not available.Green chili – I have used long hot green chilies. You can substitute green chilies with jalapeno. Adjust the spice level according to your taste. and.
Other ingredients to make this Pressure cooker rice
Basmati Rice – One of the key ingredients in this recipe is rice. This Pudina rice tastes the best when made with basmati rice. Use high-quality long grain basmati rice which has a slight golden hue. I love Tilda basmati rice and the Daawat brand. (not sponsored). But You can use sona masoori rice as well. Based on what rice you use, you will have to adjust the water quantity.Vegetables – To make this recipe, I have used green beans, bell pepper, green peas, carrots, and onion. Feel free to use your choice of vegetables.Whole Spices – Cloves, cinnamon, Bay leaf, Star Anise, Cumin seeds.Ghee – I use ghee as it makes the Mint Rice very aromatic. If you are vegan, can use oil.Salt and garam masala
How to make this recipe? Step by step process
Prep work First of all, in a colander, rinse basmati rice with 2 to 3 water. Take it in a bowl, add 2 cups of water and soak the water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the rice in a colander and keep it aside. Green paste You can do this step while the recipe is soaking. Take all the green paste ingredients (mint, cilantro, green chili, ginger, garlic, and fresh coconut) and ¼ cup water in a blender jar. (image 1 and 2) Blend all the ingredients into a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside. Cooking Pudina rice/mint pulao In a pressure cooker, heat ghee. Once the ghee is hot, add bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds. (Image 3) When cumin seeds splutter, add onion, carrots, green peas, green beans, and bell pepper. Saute it for 1 minute. (image 4) Now add drained rice, green paste, 1 cup of water, salt, and garam masala. Stir well. (image 5 to 8) Close the pressure cooker lid. Take 2 whistles. (image 9) Once 2 whistles are done, switch off the flame and take out the pressure cooker from the stove. Let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. (image 10) Add lemon juice, mix gently. Mint rice aka Pudina rice is ready to serve. Garnish it with some cilantro and some freshly grated coconut. Enjoy hot with raita or plain curd Quality of rice and soaking time – The cooking time depends on the soaking time and quality of rice you use. Washing and Soaking the rice for 30 minutes and then drain it is an important step. But If the rice is soaked for a longer period, you need to reduce the cooking time or else they become mushy while cooking. If you do not soak the rice, then you have to increase the amount of water from 1 cup to 1 ½ cup as well as the pressure cooking time from 2 whistles to 3 whistles. For best results, it is better to soak rice for 30 minutes. You can also use any other variety or substitute it with any other alternate grains like whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. However, please remember that the cooking time and water quantity will be different. To make it protein-rich and more nutritious, you can add boiled chickpeas, kidney beans, tofu, paneer, edamame, or any kind of boiled legumes. This dish is not over-powered with mint flavors. But if still, you don’t like mint, Spinach is a good replacement for mint leaves. You can ghee roasted cashews and raisins too for texture and crunch.
More Rice recipes
Vegan Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)Instant Pot Mexican RiceMushroom RiceRaw Mango Rice
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