When comes to pulav adding whole garam masala ie mild spices and coconut milk are the main ingredients that cooked with rice. Adding Veggies/ Methi leaves is up to you. I am bit worried about my little one who is not taking veggies properly as he recently started taking solid foods. Usually i make Puli kulambu or Poriyal with this bitter gourd and he just splits when i give (but my daughter loves the poriyal version much). He is a rice liker so i thought of stuffing this bitter gourd in pulav. The very first time i tried adding this veggie to usual pulao and to my surprise it came out super. We all liked it, especially my son and before going to detailed post i conclude this as a great one pot meal for all people who like or hate bitter gourd 🙂
Ingredients
Brown/White Basmati Rice – 2 and 1/2 Cups
Bitter Gourd – 2 Numbers (Medium Size, I used Indian Variety) Fresh/Frozen Green Peas – 1/4 Cup
Onion – 1 Large size
Thick Coconut Milk – 1 Cups
Yogurt/Butter Milk – 1/2 Cup
Shai Jeera or Cumin – 1/2 Tbsp
Coriander Powder – 1 Tbsp
Red chili Powder – 1tsp or More
Chopped Mint and Coriander Leaves – 3/4 th Cup
Whole garam masala (Cloves/Bay Leaves/Cinnamon, Star Anise) – 2 Each
Ghee/Butter + Oil – 3 Tbsp
To grind
Green Chili – 2 Numbers
Mint and Coriander Leaves – 1 fist full
Garlic – 6-8 Cloves (large)
Ginger – equivalent to garlic
Method
- Chop the bitter gourd round shape with seeds.
- Remove the well matured seeds if any.
- Marinate the bitter gourd with yogurt and 1/4tsp salt for 30 minutes (Step wise Pic 1 below).
- Meanwhile soak the rice and start cooking the other ingredients.
- Grind the ingredients given under “To grind” (Pic 3).
- Heat butter+oil and add all whole garam masalas.
- When the bay leaves turn golden brown, add lenghtly sliced onion and saute well.
- Adda 1/2tsp of sugar and salt for onion to caramelize quick.
- Now add the marinated bitter gourd (Pic 2) and saute in medium flame for another 5 minutes.
- You can taste right now and if it has tolerable bitterness then proceed otherwise saute for another couple of minutes.
- If you feel its little more bitter its normal becoz we are going to add coconut milk later.
- Add Red chili, coriander powder and ground paste and saute till the raw smell disappears (Pic 4).
- Add chopped mint and coriander leaves, after a gentle mix add coconut milk (Pic 5) then add soaked rice n check salt.
- Mix well and allow 3 hisses in pressure cooker, i used electric cooker (Pic 6).
- When completely done, open the lid halfway and leave it like that for another 15 minutes after that mix gently.
- Doing this way prevents the rice break/mushy.
nice idea, we can make kids to try bitter guard using this pulao…
Interesting , pulav . love it
innovative and healthy pulao.
Interesting. N healthy…must eat vegetable..
sounds interesting and delicious, will soon give a try 🙂
Very interesting pulav, have never tried adding pavakkai in pulav… nice idear…
unique and interesting pulav
wow thats an delicious and healthy combo for pulao dear 🙂 looks super yummy and tempting me !! 🙂
Gourd into rice is something I have never done before but still its a wonderful turnout and yes, one way of making kids to eat veggies.
Cant even think of adding bitter gueard in pulao, what an amazing idea..
nice recipe 🙂
Omg, very unique pulao, never thought of adding bittergourd in pulao, seriously mindblowing.