Navratan pulao is one of my favorite dishes, partly because it has all my beloved veggies and nuts mixed with fragrant basmati rice. I got so excited making this dish, imagining how it would look, and I couldn’t wait to taste it! Who wouldn’t love its rich taste and appealing look?
What is Navratan Pulao
Navratan pulao is a colorful and tasty dish packed with a mix of veggies, nuts, and spices. The name ‘navratan’ means ‘nine gems,’ which is all about combining nine different ingredients like peas, carrots, potatoes, and cauliflower with some aromatic spices, nuts, and fruits like cashews and raisins. This dish is usually cooked with basmati rice, which really adds to its beauty and flavor. It’s often made for festivals and special occasions, making it a real treat!
Navratan Pulao: A Festive Dish for Any Day
While I mentioned it’s usually made for festivals and special occasions, that doesn’t hold true for food enthusiasts like us. Trust me, when you make this Navratan Pulao on any regular day, it transforms into a special occasion. Serving and savoring it feels extraordinary, especially with the delightful aroma of nuts roasted in ghee and the fragrance of saffron milk lingering throughout the house even after cooking.
Quick Tips for Making a Delicious Meal
- Even though there are quite a few steps to finishing this navratan pulao, it comes together really quickly if you have everything prepped. I fry the potatoes and carrots first because they usually take longer than the other veggies. Frying them not only helps everything cook together nicely when added to the pulao but also keeps them firmer and stops them from breaking apart.
- For a quicker option, you can use ginger garlic paste, but for a stronger flavor, try adding about 3 tsp of minced ginger and 3 tsp of minced garlic.
- Want more spice? Add extra green chillies!
- Feel free to toss in any veggies you like—capsicum, peas, baby corn, or even tomatoes.
- For a fruity twist, try adding pineapples, dried figs, dates, or dried apricots too!
Navratan pulao is great on its own with a refreshing raita and some peppery or plain pappadum. But if you’re into non-veg, try it with Chicken Korma or Chicken Masala. For the veg lovers, a Breaded Veg Cutlet or a Cheesy Veg Cutlet makes a perfect match!
If you’re interested in exploring more pulao varieties, be sure to check out the following recipes:
That being said, you can try the recipe with the exact ingredients I used or tweak some of them and experiment a bit. Either way, this Navratan pulao is definitely going to impress you and your family!
Navratan Pulao
Description
This delightful Navratan Pulao recipe is a fragrant and flavorful dish made with a variety of fresh vegetables, aromatic spices, and basmati rice. The dish is enriched with lots of nuts such as, roasted almonds, cashews, walnuts, and plump raisins, and complemented by crispy fried paneer. The addition of saffron milk elevates the taste, aroma and adds a unique golden hue to the rice.
Ingredients for Navratan Pulao
Vegetables
For Birista (Fried Onions)
Aromatic Spices
For Rice
Instructions on how to make the Navratan Pulao
Instructions on how to make the Navratan Pulao
Instructions on how to make the Navratan Pulao with step-by-step photos
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Preparation:
Blanch the cauliflower florets in hot water for 3 minutes, drain, and set aside.
Rinse and soak the basmati rice in water for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Warm the milk, add a pinch of saffron, and set it aside to infuse
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the almonds, cashews, walnuts, and raisins until golden brown. Set aside.
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In the same pan, fry the paneer cubes until all sides are golden brown. Set aside.
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Cooking Vegetables:
Using the same oil, sauté the chopped carrots and potato on low flame for 5 minutes. Set aside.
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Making Birista (Fried Onions):
In a deep pan or kadai, heat oil for deep frying. Fry the sliced onions until golden brown and crisp. Set aside.
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In a biryani pot, add 3 tbsp ghee. Once hot, add the cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, and cumin seeds. Roast until fragrant.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté on low flame for 3 minutes.
Add green chilies and sauté briefly.
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Incorporate the sautéed carrots, potatoes, blanched cauliflower, and French beans. Sauté for 2 minutes.
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Add the soaked, drained basmati rice and mix gently.
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Simmering:
Pour in 3 cups of water and salt (adjust to taste). Mix lightly.
Cover the pot and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
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Final Assembly:
After 5 minutes, uncover and add fried paneer, 3/4 of the birista, and 3/4 of the roasted nuts. Mix well.
Drizzle the prepared saffron milk over the top. Cover and continue cooking on low flame for another 15 minutes.
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Serving:
Once cooked, uncover and gently fluff up the rice.
Garnish with the remaining birista and nuts. Serve hot.
Pulao looks yummy and good
Thank you so much.