Navratan Pulao Recipe – Pulav or Pilaf or Pilav recipe

Pulao or Pulav or Pilav, is a rice based dish made usually with Basmati rice mixing with aromatic spices and herbs. There are numerous variants of pulao, such as tava pulao, matar pulao, veg pulao, etc. The one am sharing recipe here is Navratan Pulao, this has generous usage of dry fruits and vegetables.

Navratan Pulao Recipe | Your Food Fantasy
Navratan Pulao Recipe | Your Food Fantasy

What is pulao?

Some of the other names of Pulao are Pela, Pilav, Pallao, Pilau, Pelau, Pulao, Pulaav, Palaw, Palavu, Plov, Palov, Polov, Polo, Polu, Kurysh, Fulao, Fulaaw, Fulav, Fulab and varies from region to region. This is common to central asian, east african, middle east, south asian, balkan, latin american cuisine.

Navratan” means nine gems. This pulao consists of 9 vegetables and dry fruits (I have used more than 9). Because this pulao has raisins added to it, it gives bit of sweet taste to the rice, if you do not like that taste, you can ignore adding raisins.


Navratan pulav is considered as a royal dish, and is made on special occasions.

Difference between Pulao and Biryani

Pulao is not same as biryani.

Biryani is a rice dish, where the rice and meat/ chicken or vegetable is first partially cooked separately. Then they layered and cooked/matured on low flame with other ingredients.


To make the Pulao sauté the ingredients (rice and vegetables / meat) first, then cook in water. There is no layering concept in Pulao.

Method to make Navratan Pulao

  • Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. After that boil 4 cup of water in a big pot and add half teaspoon salt and rice to it. Once they are 80 percent cooked, strain them in a colander and keep aside.
  • Heat 2 tablespoon of ghee in a big pan and fry cashews, almonds and raisins till they are golden brown. Take them out and keep aside.
  • To the same pan, add rest 2 tablespoon ghee. Keep the heat to medium. Add bay leaves, green and black cardamom, cumin seeds, peppercorns, Cloves and cinnamon stick. Sauté for a minute and then add onions to it.
  • Once the onion are golden add grated ginger, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, beans and asparagus. Sauté for a minute and cover the pan for 3-4 minutes. Now add capsicum, tomatoes, chillies, green peas and sauté these vegetables till they are soft and tender.
  • Add paneer, sweetcorn, fried cashews, almonds, raisins and salt and mix. Now add cooked rice to the pan and mix gently so that rice don’t break. Pour saffron milk and cover the pan with lid. Cook it over low heat for 7-8 minutes and switch off the heat. Transfer the navratan pulao on a serving plate and enjoy it hot.

Serving suggestions for Navratan Pulao

Serve pulao with raita. You can also serve Pulao with lentils / dal or gravy based curry.

Navratan Pulao Rice | Your Food Fantasy
Navratan Pulao Rice | Your Food Fantasy

Below is the step by step recipe to make Navratan Pulao at home.

Recipe Card

How to make Navratan Pulao | Your Food Fantasy

Navratan Pulao

Pulao or Pulav or PIlaf Rice made with 9 unique spices to leave anyone asking for more.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Soaking 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 Portions
Calories 411 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. After that boil 4 cup of water in a big pot and add half teaspoon salt and rice to it. Once they are 80 percent cooked, strain them in a colander and keep aside.
  • Heat 2 tablespoon of ghee in a big pan and fry cashews, almonds and raisins till they are golden brown. Take them out and keep aside.
    Making of Navratan Pulao | Your Food Fantasy
  • To the same pan, add rest 2 tablespoon ghee. Keep the heat to medium. Add bay leaves, green and black cardamom, cumin seeds, peppercorns, Cloves and cinnamon stick. Sauté for a minute and then add onions to it.
    Frying Spices for Navratan Pulao | Your Food Fantasy
  • Once the onion are golden add grated ginger, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, beans and asparagus. Sauté for a minute and cover the pan for 3-4 minutes. Now add capsicum, tomatoes, chillies, green peas and sauté these vegetables till they are soft and tender.
  • Add paneer, sweetcorn, fried cashews, almonds, raisins and salt and mix. Now add cooked rice to the pan and mix gently so that rice don’t break. Pour saffron milk and cover the pan with lid. Cook it over low heat for 7-8 minutes and switch off the heat.
    How to make Navratan Pulao | Your Food Fantasy
  • Transfer the navratan pulao on a serving plate and enjoy it hot.
    Navratan Pulao Recipe | Your Food Fantasy

Notes

  1. You can also use any easy cooking vegetable of your choice in this recipe like broccoli etc.
  2. I have used Desi Ghee/Clarified butter in my recipe however you can alternate it with olive oil/ refined Oil.
  3. Don’t overcook the vegetables while sautéing as we want them to be soft and crunchy together.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Navratan Pulao
Amount Per Serving
Calories 411 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 475mg21%
Potassium 540mg15%
Carbohydrates 67g22%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 11g22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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