Instant pot pudina rice (mint pulao)

This is a quick, easy, and healthy one-pot pudina rice recipe with detailed step by step photos. In this post, I will show you how to make this simple dish healthy and different variations that can be made to this recipe.

What is pudina rice

Pudina rice is mint flavored rice usually cooked as a one-pot meal along with Indian spices. We usually call it as pudina pulao or mint pulao as this is mildly spiced, unlike biryani.

This delicious and flavorful dish is made extensively in South India. Different states have different names like pudina bath, pudina pulav, pudina rice, etc. All the states have a similar recipe with just one or two changes in the ingredients.

This is my mother's recipe, that I grew up eating almost every Sunday. Usually, Sundays have special lunch and for us this pulao was special.

I have made a few changes to my mother's recipe to make it more healthy and wholesome but without missing that good old taste.

Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients of the pudina rice. I usually add some kind of lentils or beans to make it more healthy and filling.

• Mint leaves - The main and star ingredient of this recipe. This recipe uses fresh mint leaves that are grounded into the mixture using other spices.

• Mung bean sprouts or Brown lentils (whole masoor dal) - In general, these spouts or lentils are not used. But I like to add these to make this pudina rice healthy and filling. Mung bean sprouts are easy to make at home and are light on the stomach.

Sprouting increases the nutritive value of the mung beans. If you don't have sprouts, replace it with soaked whole mung dal. You can even add whole masoor dal (brown lentils)

For better digestion and nutrient assimilation, I prefer to soak the lentils and beans. The cooking time mentioned in this recipe is for soaked mung beans or mung bean sprouts or soaked brown lentils.

• Coconut milk - This is again optional and just replace with an equal quantity of water if you are not using coconut milk. I have used homemade coconut milk in this recipe to increase the richness and nutritive value of the mint pulao.

• Veggies - I always use seasonal veggies to cook any one-pot rice dish. Potatoes, carrots, beans will be good for all seasons. You can also use broccoli or cauliflower stalks in this recipe as I did.

These stalks are as nutritious as the actual veggie and I also make a chutney with broccoli stalk. And I do not suggest using cauliflower or broccoli florets as these will become mushy when cooked along with rice. So select veggies accordingly, that have cooking times almost similar to the rice.

Instant pot instructions

• Wash and soak basmati rice for at least 30 minutes. Start making the recipe by soaking the rice and by the time we use the rice, it will be almost 30 minutes.
• Chop the veggies and keep them aside. I have used potatoes, carrots, beans, tomato, and broccoli stalks. And I usually chop them into little big chunks so that they don't turn mushy.

• For making the mint masala paste, take a grinder and add mint leaves, roughly chopped onion, green chili, cumin seeds, garlic pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and curry leaves. Curry leaves are optional and I have added for that bright green color and flavor.

• Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste. You will not require to add additional water as we have added onion. If you want to make pudina rice without onion, then do add one or two tbsps of water.

• Switch on the Instant Pot, select the sauté option. The default timer will be set to 30 minutes, let it be.
• Once the inner pot is heated ( maybe after two minutes or so), add the oil to the inner pot.

• Add mint mixture to the hot oil. Add it slowly so that it doesn't spill on the face

• Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes and add turmeric powder, coriander seed powder, and salt.

• Now add chopped tomatoes and stir it well.

• To this mixture, add chopped veggies. I used potatoes, carrots, beans, and broccoli stalks.

• Stir everything well so that the mint mixture is coated to the veggies well. Make sure to scrape the sides well else food may burn.

• To this veggies mixture, add mung bean sprouts and mix it well. You can also use brown lentils or cooked beans or chickpeas.

• Wash the basmati rice well with loose hands and drain it completely. Extra water in the rice may make the rice softer and lumpy. Add this drained rice to the Instant Pot.

• I have used thin coconut milk to cook this mint pilaf but you can use regular water also. Add water or coconut milk to this rice mixture and give a good stir. At this stage, you can taste the water for salt and add it accordingly. Water should taste a little salty so that the final dish will have adequate salt. But this depends on your taste preference.

• Close the Instant Pot with lid and SEAL it. Select PRESSURE COOK mode and cook for 4 minutes on High Pressure.
• Do a manual pressure release after 5 minutes. Fluff up the mint rice with a fork.

How to serve mint rice

Usually, pulao will be served with the raita. You can serve this mint pulao also with raita or any vegetable kurma or you can eat as it is. As we have added sprouts to this recipe, this will be a meal by itself without any side dishes.

This mint pilaf will be a good lunch box item also and even fussy kids will enjoy it. As kids will refuse to eat multiple items like adults, make this kind of one-pot meals that provide them complete nourishment in a single dish.

Pudina pulao variations

• Fresh mint leaves are the star ingredient in this recipe but if you do not have fresh leaves handy, you can use the frozen mint paste to make this recipe.
• You can make this recipe with cilantro or coriander leaves also. It will have a different flavor but will taste very good.
• Spinach puree is also a good replacement for mint leaves.
• Instead of mung bean sprouts, you can use brown lentils or chickpeas or kidney beans or any kind of beans. But when using beans make sure to cook them before as they take a longer time to cook when compared to rice. Use pre-cooked beans or canned beans and make sure to drain water from them completely.

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