Recipe
Navratan Veggie Pulao
“Navratan” in Navratan Veggie Pulao means 9 jewels. It represents the group of nine extraordinary people in Emperor Akbar’s court during his Mughal reign of India. The history is based on the myth that Emperor Akbar had his kitchen create this dish to honor them.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 black peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil
- 2 1/2 cups of sliced yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon crushed ginger
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
- 1 cup of Royal Basmati Rice
- 1 cup of tomatoes
- 1 cup of small diced potatoes
- 1 cup of chopped cauliflower
- 1/2 cup of frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, carrot, peas, corn) Pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot seat over medium-low heat, toast the cumin seeds, peppercorn, cloves, then add oil and heat through.
- Add the yellow onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, garlic, and ginger, cooking until onions are translucent.
- Stir in the rice, potatoes, tomatoes, and 2 cups of water. Cover to let the rice cook.
- Cook until rice is al dente, about 5 minutes, remove the cover and add in cauliflower and frozen mixed vegetables and mix together. Cover again and let it finish cooking on low heat till the rice is tender.
- Plate and serve topped with cilantro and pomegranate seeds.