Flavorful and delicious Raju Gari Pulao recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Raju Gari Veg Pulao is a vegetarian twist on the popular restaurant dish Raju Gari Kodi Pulao!
Raju gari Pulao is a flavorful and delicious rice recipe made in pressure cooker. It is my take on one of the most popular Hyderabad based restaurant dishes called Raju gari kodi pulao. Raju garu means king in Telugu and this pulao is so rich and delicious that was fit to be served to a king. This vegetarian version of the Raju Gari Veg Pulao is just as much flavorful and tasty, without the use of any plant or meat-based protein. It is also quite customizable, with the addition of any vegetables or meat to this basic recipe.
Jump to:
Raju Gari Vegetable Pulao is a simple one-pot meal that is made in a pressure cooker. It uses rich ingredients like cashews and golden fried onions. The basmati rice is cooked in a mixture of whole spices and spice powders, a special masala paste made from golden fried onions and yogurt. Another very unique thing about this recipe is how it is cooked in a mixture of milk and water. For vegan version, you can use coconut milk too. It turns out really moist and delicious, can be served with any egg or paneer side dishes and raita.
Key Ingredients
Basmati Rice or any fragrant long grain rice is one of the main ingredients for making this raju gari pulav recipe.
Golden Fried Onions, Green Chillies and Thick Fresh Curd is made into a smooth paste to flavor the pulao.
A special spice blend made with roasted whole spices like Shahi Jeera, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves and Black Peppercorns is used to spice the pulav.
Cooking the basmati rice in Milk or Coconut milk makes the pulao rich and moist.
For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Raju Gari Pulao
Despite a long list of ingredients and slightly elaborate procedure, making raju gari veg pulao is simple and it is a beginner-friendly recipe. With just a few tips and tricks up your sleeves, it is a quick and easy recipe. Follow the below notes when you give this recipe a try!
Always wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear and soak it in enough water for 15-20 mins. This reduces the cooking time and results in non-sticky rice.
The rice to water ratio is very important for making grainy but soft, moist rice. Since we are making this recipe in pressure cooker, ideally each cup of rice should be cooked in 1.5 cups of water. If you are not planning on soaking the rice for atleast 20mins, you can increase the water quantity to 1.75 cups.
Always cook the rice on high flame for 5 mins and lowest flame for 8-10 mins or until there are two whistles – whichever happens first. It is important to let the pressure drop naturally before opening the pressure cooker.
Always rest the rice for 5-10 mins before fluffing it up. This ensures the rice is not sticky or broken.
Substitutions & Variations
To make this Raju gari pulav recipe vegan, you can skip yogurt and replace milk with coconut milk or water.
You can use store bought ready to use golden fried onions too.
Add your choice of cut vegetables or protein to this recipe as per preference.
Serving Suggestions
Raju Gari Vegetable Pulav is best served hot, with a side of any starters or side dishes like soya 65, paneer tikka, dal tadka, aloo gobi and so on. Any paneer based, egg- based or mushroom gravies/curries and starters & appetizers go very well with plain pulao.
Similar Recipes
You must use the category name, not a URL, in the category field.Raju Gari Pulao Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
First dry roast the whole spices for spice powder in a small pan – ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera, 1 green cardamom, ¼ cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 6 black pepper corns. Roast on low flame for 3-4 mins until fragrant.
Once cooled down, grind into powder and set aside.
In a pressure cooker heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee. Roast 10 cashews until they are golden brown and set aside.
Now add 1 large onion finely sliced and cook on low to medium heat by constantly stirring.
As the onions turn golden brown and crispy, remove from heat. At this time, wash 1 cup basmati rice and soak in enough water for atleast 20mins.
Add the golden fried onions to a blender along with 2 tablespoon fresh thick curd and 2 green chillies.
Grind into a smooth paste and set aside.
In the same pressure cooker with remaining oil + ghee mixture, all whole spices like 2 cloves, 1 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 1 mace, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick and ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera. Fry for a minute. And then add 2 sprigs of curry leaves and 2 green chillies slit.
Now add 1 small onion finely sliced and cook until translucent.
Next add ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 mins until there is no raw smell.
Add 1 small tomato finely chopped and cook until mushy.
Next add the prepared onion masala paste. Mix well.
Cook on low flame for 3-4 mins and then add ¼ cup mint leaves & ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped.
Now add ½ cup milk and mix well. After a minute, add 1 cup water.
Next add the prepared spice powder and salt as needed - mix well too.
In about 2-3 mins the mixture should boil well.
Add the soaked basmati rice and mix well.
Close the pressure cooker and cook on high heat for 3-4 mins. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 8-10 mins or until there are two whistles whichever happens first.
Let the pressure naturally before opening the pressure cooker.
Wait for 5-10 mins and rest the rice before fluffing it up. Garnish with roasted cashews.
Serve hot with any side dish of your choice or raita.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe does not use any red chilli powder for spice, and it all about green chillies. Adjust the number of green chillies as per spice preference.
- The spice powder made in the recipe can be also made in bulk and used for flavoring pulav recipes.
- Instead of milk, coconut milk can be used too.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
📖 Recipe
Raju Gari Pulao | Raju Gari Veg Pulao
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
For Masala Paste
- 1 Large Onion Sliced
- 2 tablespoon Thick Fresh Curd
- 2 Green Chillies
For Spice Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Shahi Jeera
- 1 Green Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- ¼ Cinnamon Stick
- 6 Black Peppercorns
For Pulav
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 10 Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 Small Onion Finely Sliced
- 1 Small Tomato Finely Chopped
- 1 Green Cardamom
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Star Anise
- ¼ teaspoon Shahi Jeera
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Mace
- 2 Sprigs Curry Leaves
- 2 Green Chillies Slit
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- ¼ cup Mint Leaves Finely Chopped
- ¼ cup Cilantro Finely Chopped
- ½ cup Milk
- 1 cup Water
- Salt as needed
Instructions
- First dry roast the whole spices for spice powder in a small pan – ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera, 1 green cardamom, ¼ cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 6 black pepper corns. Roast on low flame for 3-4 mins until fragrant.
- Once cooled down, grind into powder and set aside.
- In a pressure cooker heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee. Roast 10 cashews until they are golden brown and set aside.
- Now add 1 large onion finely sliced and cook on low to medium heat by constantly stirring.
- As the onions turn golden brown and crispy, remove from heat. At this time, wash 1 cup basmati rice and soak in enough water for atleast 20mins.
- Add the golden fried onions to a blender along with 2 tablespoon fresh thick curd and 2 green chillies.
- Grind into a smooth paste and set aside.
- In the same pressure cooker with remaining oil + ghee mixture, all whole spices like 2 cloves, 1 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 1 mace, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick and ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera. Fry for a minute. And then add 2 sprigs of curry leaves and 2 green chillies slit.
- Now add 1 small onion finely sliced and cook until translucent.
- Next add ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 mins until there is no raw smell.
- Add 1 small tomato finely chopped and cook until mushy.
- Next add the prepared onion masala paste. Mix well.
- Cook on low flame for 3-4 mins and then add ¼ cup mint leaves & ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped.
- Now add ½ cup milk and mix well. After a minute, add 1 cup water.
- Next add the prepared spice powder and salt as needed - mix well too.
- In about 2-3 mins the mixture should boil well.
- Add the soaked basmati rice and mix well.
- Close the pressure cooker and cook on high heat for 3-4 mins. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 8-10 mins or until there are two whistles whichever happens first.
- Let the pressure naturally before opening the pressure cooker.
- Wait for 5-10 mins and rest the rice before fluffing it up. Garnish with roasted cashews.
- Serve hot with any side dish of your choice or raita.
Notes
- This recipe does not use any red chilli powder for spice, and it all about green chillies. Adjust the number of green chillies as per spice preference.
- The spice powder made in the recipe can be also made in bulk and used for flavoring pulav recipes.
- Instead of milk, coconut milk can be used too.
Kay
Can I use soya chunks for this? If so, how do I make them absorb the flavor better? Whenever I use soya chunks, I feel like they do not absorb flavors well. I have soaked them in hot water for 20 minutes in the past and squeezed out excess water.
Ramya
Hi Kay, yes you can use soya chunks for this recipe. Apart from soaking them, I also boil them for 5-7 mins and then squeeze out the excess water. To make them better absorb the flavors, you can marinate them in a mixture of thick curd and masala powders along with 2 tbsp of coriander + mint leaves. And cook them with the pulao masala mix for 7-10 mins.