instant pulao recipe | leftover pulao rice | rice pulao with cucumber raita with detailed photo and video recipe. perhaps one of the simple and easy pulao recipes is prepared within minutes with leftover rice. it is not just a simple and easy rice recipe, but also one of the tasty and flavoured pulav recipes prepared within minutes. this can be an ideal lunch box recipe or even a morning breakfast using any leftover rice from the previous day lunch or dinner.
i have always been a huge fan of flavoured rice or pulao recipes for my day to day lunch or dinner meal. especially, when you compare it to plain rasam or dal rice options, pulao recipes are a lifesaver. yet it brings the complexity of using the pressure cooker, the instant pot where if the proportions aren’t right, it may end up with dry or mushy rice. certainly, not a pleasant experience when it is mushy, as it may reduce the spice flavour with too much moisture included. to mitigate this problem, the best solution is to use the pre-cooked rice and mix it with a choice of spices and herbs chosen for pulao. even better if you choose leftover rice which is not just saving you from food waste, but also gives you the best rice option without much moisture in it. irrespective, of these i would heavily recommend trying this recipe once and serve it to your friends & family.
furthermore, some more additional tips, suggestions and variations to the instant pulao recipe. firstly, i would heavily recommend using basmati rice for this recipe and avoid using short-grain rice variants. you may use sona masuri or ponni rice, but long-grain rice is the better option. secondly, this recipe is not limited to the leftover rice and you may prepare this with freshly cooked rice too. if you are planning on freshly cooked rice, make sure to dry it out without any moisture. lastly, the rice is ideally served with a choice of curd/yoghurt raita, but you may serve it with curry too. particularly, mirchi ka salan could be an ideal curry option.
finally, i request you to visit my other pulao recipes collection with this post of instant pulao recipe. it mainly includes my other related recipes like matar pulao, veg pulao, sama ke chawal pulao, tomato bath, masala pulao, vermicelli pulao, shahi pulao, pudina rice, coconut milk pulao, brinji rice. further to these i would also like to add some more additional recipe categories like,
instant pulao video recipe:
recipe card for pulav with leftover rice recipe:
instant pulao recipe | leftover pulao rice | rice pulao with cucumber raita
Ingredients
for pulao:
- 1 cup coriander
- ½ cup mint / pudina
- 3 chilli
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- 3 tsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 10 cashew, halves
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 4 pods cardamom
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 capsicum, finely chopped
- ½ cup peas
- 10 beans, chopped
- 4 cup leftover rice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ lemon juice
for cucumber raita:
- 1 cup curd
- 1 cup water
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- ½ cucumber, finely chopped
- ½ carrot, grated
- 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
- 1 chilli, finely chopped
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
how to make instant veg pulao using leftover rice:
- firstly, to prepare the masala paste, in a mixi take 1 cup coriander, ½ cup mint, 3 chilli, 2 clove garlic and 1 inch ginger.
- blend to a coarse paste without adding water. keep aside.
- in a large kadai heat 3 tsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee.
- add 10 cashews and fry until it turns golden brown. keep aside.
- in the same oil, add 1 bay leaf, 6 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 4 pods cardamom and 1 tsp cumin. saute until the spices turn aromatic.
- further, add 1 onion and saute until the onions change colour slightly.
- now add 1 carrot, 1 capsicum, ½ cup peas and 10 beans.
- add ½ tsp salt and saute for 2 minutes. cook until it turns crunchy. do not overcook the vegetables.
- add in the prepared masala paste and cook for 2 minutes or until the raw flavour disappears.
- now add 4 cup leftover rice, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp garam masala.
- mix well combing all the masala with rice.
- cover and simmer for 5 minutes, absorbing all the flavours.
- add in fried cashew and ½ lemon juice. mix well.
- finally, enjoy instant pulao with cucumber raita.
how to make cucumber raita:
- firstly, in a bowl take 1 cup curd and 1 cup water.
- whisk until the curd turns silky smooth texture.
- add ½ onion, ½ cucumber, ½ carrot, 2 tbsp coriander, 1 chilli, ½ tsp cumin powder and ¼ tsp salt.
- mix well combining everything well.
- finally, cucumber raita is ready to serve with pulao, biryani or paratha.
Nutrition
how to make instant pulao with step by step photo:
how to make instant veg pulao using leftover rice:
- firstly, to prepare the masala paste, in a mixi take 1 cup coriander, ½ cup mint, 3 chilli, 2 clove garlic and 1 inch ginger.
- blend to a coarse paste without adding water. keep aside.
- in a large kadai heat 3 tsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee.
- add 10 cashews and fry until it turns golden brown. keep aside.
- in the same oil, add 1 bay leaf, 6 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 4 pods cardamom and 1 tsp cumin. saute until the spices turn aromatic.
- further, add 1 onion and saute until the onions change colour slightly.
- now add 1 carrot, 1 capsicum, ½ cup peas and 10 beans.
- add ½ tsp salt and saute for 2 minutes. cook until it turns crunchy. do not overcook the vegetables.
- add in the prepared masala paste and cook for 2 minutes or until the raw flavour disappears.
- now add 4 cup leftover rice, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp garam masala.
- mix well combing all the masala with rice.
- cover and simmer for 5 minutes, absorbing all the flavours.
- add in fried cashew and ½ lemon juice. mix well.
- finally, enjoy instant pulao with cucumber raita.
how to make cucumber raita:
- firstly, in a bowl take 1 cup curd and 1 cup water.
- whisk until the curd turns silky smooth texture.
- add ½ onion, ½ cucumber, ½ carrot, 2 tbsp coriander, 1 chilli, ½ tsp cumin powder and ¼ tsp salt.
- mix well combining everything well.
- finally, cucumber raita or kheera raita is ready to serve with pulao, biryani or paratha.
notes:
- firstly, make sure to add vegetables of your choice to make it nutritious.
- also, if you are adding tomato along with vegetables, then you can skip the lemon juice.
- additionally, using leftover rice helps to make pulao non-sticky.
- finally, the instant pulao recipe tastes great when packed for a lunch box.