Citric Acid Free Vegan Vegetable Pulao
This fragrant, one-pot rice dish is the kind of meal that fills your kitchen with the warm, heady scent of whole spices and makes everyone wander in asking what's for dinner. Whole cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves bloom in hot oil before the vegetables and rice ever hit the pan, building a deeply aromatic base that carries through every single bite. Carrots, green beans, and sweet peas give the dish color and texture, while turmeric, coriander, and garam masala tie it all together into something that feels both comforting and a little special. For anyone avoiding citric acid, this recipe is a genuinely satisfying find — no packaged spice blends, no processed shortcuts, and no hidden additives to second-guess, just whole and ground spices you can inspect yourself. The soaking and rinsing step for the basmati is worth the extra few minutes, since it's what gives you those long, fluffy, separate grains instead of a sticky clump. Lemon wedges are listed as optional for serving, so you can easily skip them and still have a complete, flavorful dish. Fresh cilantro and mint on top are a lovely finishing touch if you have them on hand, but the pulao stands beautifully on its own.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil or sunflower oil)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches)
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 2 ¾ cups water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly torn (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the basmati rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- 2
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and cloves and cook, stirring, until the cumin seeds sizzle and turn a shade darker and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Watch closely — the spices can scorch quickly.
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