Oats Free Vegan Vegetable Pulao
This fragrant rice dish is the kind of one-pot meal that fills your kitchen with the warm, heady scent of whole spices and makes everyone wander in asking what's for dinner. Basmati rice is soaked and then gently toasted in spiced oil before simmering with carrots, green beans, and sweet peas until every grain is fluffy and separate — it's deeply satisfying without being heavy. The spice blend of cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala builds in layers, so the flavor is complex even though the technique is straightforward. Naturally free from any grain-based thickeners or hidden additives, this dish is built entirely from whole vegetables, aromatic spices, and long-grain rice, making it a clean and reliable choice when you need to avoid oats or oat-derived ingredients. The resting step at the end is worth every minute of patience — it lets the steam redistribute so the rice finishes cooking perfectly without turning sticky or mushy. A squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh cilantro and mint at the table brighten everything up and make it feel restaurant-worthy. It works beautifully as a standalone meal or alongside a simple raita or dal.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado 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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