Pudina pulao recipe/Pudina Rice recipe

Pudina rice recipe- made with fresh pudina or mint leaves. You can call it a spicy one pot meal. It has rice, pudina and veggies too. So you can call it ‘Mint rice’ or ‘Pudina pulao’

It can be packed for lunch box too. It is always a winner when I wanted to prepare a special meal.

Mint is also called as pudina in various Indian languages, is often used to flavor chutney, Indian curries and biryani.

It is super easy to make, much easier than Biryani and flavorful too. Besides mint I have used coriander leaves and coconut to this mint rice. To this spicy green colored rice, I have added whole spices, onion, peas and potatoes.

You can also add different veggies like carrots and beans to make it healthier.

You can serve Pudina rice hot with raita or curd/plain yogurt.

Step by step recipe of Pudina rice:

Rinse 1½ cup Basmati rice till the water runs clear of the starch. Soak the rice in water for about 20-30 minutes.

After 30 minutes drain the rice and keep aside.

Meanwhile, when the rice is soaking, prep the other ingredients. Pluck and wash mint and coriander leaves, drain them and keep aside. Chop fresh coconut, we will need 2 tbsp. of it. Chop 2 green chilies, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1 inch piece of ginger. Take all of these ingredients along with ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp coriander seeds in a chutney grinder or a wet grinder.

Add 3 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste. Add more water if required. I added ¼ cup water while grinding.

Heat 3 tbsp. of oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the following whole spices- I to 2 inch cinnamon, 3-4 cloves, 2 green cardamom, 2 tej patta. Fry the spices for few seconds till they are aromatic.

Then add thinly sliced 1 large onion. Saute till the onions become golden.

Add the ground mint paste. Fry on a medium to low flame for about 2 to 3 minute.

Add ¼ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp red chili powder. Stir the masala for a minute.

Then add ½ cup green peas, 1 medium chopped tomato and 1 small chopped potato. 

Mix well.

Add the drained rice and stir gently. Add salt. The masala should coat the rice grains well. stir and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Then add 3 cups water. Stir well.

Cover the lid tightly and pressure cook for 2 whistles till the rice grains are cooked.

Open the lid when the pressure goes down, a layer of mint is visible on top, you can fluff up the rice gently.

Serve with plain yogurt or raita.

Below is the printable version of the recipe.

Pudina rice recipe below:

Pudina  rice Prep time Cook time Total  30 min  15 min 45 min Pudina rice – Basmati rice cooked in mint (pudina) patse along with spices. AUTHOR: Monali RECIPE TYPE: Main CUISINE: Indian SERVES: 4-6 INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup=237 ml) 1½ cup Basmati rice 2 green cardamom/ choti elaichi 1-2 inch piece of cinnamon/dalchini 2 small bay leaves/tej patta 3-4 cloves/laung ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 medium sized tomato, chopped 1 small potato, peeled and chopped ½ cup heaped cup fresh or frozen peas 2.5 to 3 cups water Salt as required 3 tbsp. Oil  For mint Paste- 1 cup mint/pudina ½ cup coriander leaves/dhania patta 2 green chili/hari mirch, chopped 2 cloves garlic/lehsun, chopped (1 tsp) 1 inch ginger/adrak, chopped or grated (1 tsp) 2 tbsp. fresh coconut sliced or chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera 1 tsp coriander seeds/sabut dhania DIRECTION Rinse Basmati rice till the water runs clear of the starch. Soak the rice in water for about 20-30 minutes. After 30 minutes drainthe rice and keep aside. Pluck and wash mint and coriander leaves, drain them and keep aside. Grind the ingredients mentioned under the ‘mint paste’ above in a chutney grinder or a wet grinder. Add 3 tbsp. water and grind to a smooth paste. Add more water if required. I added ¼ cup water while grinding. Heat 3 tbsp. of oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the whole spices- 1to 2 inch cinnamon, 3-4 cloves, 2 green cardamom, 2 tej patta. Fry the spices for few seconds till they are aromatic. Then add thinly sliced onion. Sauté till the onions become golden. Then add the ground mint paste. Fry on a medium to low flame for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add ¼ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp red chili powder. Stir the masala for a minute. Then add green peas, chopped tomato and chopped potato. Mix. Add the drained rice and stir gently. Add salt. The masala should coat the rice grains well. Stir and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add 2.5 to 3 cups water. Stir well. Cover the lid tightly and pressure cook for 2 whistles till the rice grains are cooked. When the pressure settles down on its own; open the lid and gently fluff the rice. NOTES The rice in this recipe is cooked in pressure cooker, but you can also make it in a pot. Add extra 1 cup (or more if required) water to the recipe. The cooking time of rice varies upon quality of rice and soaking. If the rice is soaked for longer period of time, then the rice become mushy while cooking. So just soak the rice for 30 minutes and then drain it. If you are not adding potatoes reduce the amount of water by ¼ cup, as the mint paste will have enough moisture to make the rice perfect. SERVING SUGGESTION Serve mint pulao hot with plain curd/yogurt or with raita.