Brown Rice Pulao Recipe (Indian Style)

Are you looking for a Brown Rice Pulao Recipe that is close to the Indian traditional Rice Pulao and tasty too? Trust me, your search ends here! This Brown Rice Vegetable Pulao is made in a one-pot pressure cooker and is flavored with vegetables of the season. Will you be able to resist it?

Veg Brown Rice Pulao is a simple recipe of brown Rice cooked with a variety of vegetables and is a twist to classical White rice Pulao. Flavored with Indian spices and tempered in ghee, each bite of this Brown Rice Pilaf is bursting with deliciousness.

This recipe has varying soaking and cooking times in comparison to white rice Pulao. Made in Indian style, this recipe is amazingly flavorful and great for those who have just started trying brown rice.

I love creating easy recipes, and this one-pot Pressure Cooker Pilaf gathers quickly and turns out to be softer and flavorful as compared to any other method. Team the fluffy Brown Rice Pulao with Shahi paneer, yellow dal, or curd, or have it as is.

You may also like more rice recipes from the blog: Vegetable Pulao, Cilantro Lime Brown Rice, Vegan Brown Fried Rice, and Indian Lemon Rice.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

• Brown Rice: I have used the India Gate brand of Brown Basmati Rice which is locally available here. You may procure any Basmati brand for the brown rice that is available locally. 
• Vegetables: This recipe uses seasonal vegetables. I made it in the winter and used fresh cauliflower, peas, onion, and tomato. You may add carrot, finely chopped beans, zucchini, mushrooms, or any other local vegetable of your choice.
• Ghee: I love Desi Ghee Rice. You may use any vegetable oil.  
• Spices: Being Indian means a natural love for our spices. This recipe of brown rice is made totally like traditional Pulao with Whole spices like Cumin seeds, Bay leaf, Big Cardamom, green chilies, and fine powdered spices like Red Chilli powder, Turmeric, Garam Masala, and Amchur (optional). You may also use black peppercorns (or black pepper powder), green cardamoms, cinnamon stick, dried red chili, cloves, etc. 
• Lemon Juice: adds the perfect tanginess to this brown rice. You may skip Amchur and more lemon juice.
• Green peas- I used frozen green peas from the Safal brand. Feel free to use fresh or frozen peas.
• Garlic: The grated fresh garlic sauteed with onions and green chilies in Desi Ghee makes the whole home aromatic. You may use ginger garlic paste as well.

How To Make Brown Rice Pulao in a Pressure Cooker

Step 1 Wash and Soak Rice

Gather all the veggies and brown rice. Soak brown rice in warm/hot water for about 20 min. Wash vegetables under running water.

Step 2 Dry and Chop Vegetables

Chop veggies as you like it in small or large chunks.

Step 3 Temper Veggies in Pressure Cooker

In a large pressure cooker, add 2 teaspoon desi ghee. Add bay leaf, black cardamom. I was short for other spices, you may add cloves, black pepper etc. Once its aromatic, add cumin seeds (Jeera). As it splutters, add Chopped garlic. (you may grate it even)

Step 4 Add Onions and Tomatoes

Add onions. Once they are transparent add green chilly and tomatoes.

Step 5 Spice It

Add spices like red chilly, haldi and garam masala. Add salt and vegetables like cauliflower, beans, carrots. Mix well and add peas.. Make sure to remove the rice from water in which they were soaked.

Step 6 Add Soaked rice

Add water to rice in the ratio 2.5:1. So , one portion of rice and three portion of water. Add more salt and mix well.

Step 7 Pressure Cook Rice

Put the lid on and give a pressure of 2 whistles on full. Simmer for 15 min. Don't release the pressure. Let it cool off itself and open 15 min after it cools off.

Step 8 Serve It

The Veg Brown Rice Pulao are ready. Serve with your choice of chutney, Papad and dahi!

Expert Tips

1. The cooking time of brown rice is more than that of white rice. Cooking time generally depends more on the variety/brand. In general, you may soak it for at least 30 minutes- 1 hour (in hot water for better results). Add around 2.5-3 times the water. So, for one bowl of raw rice, 2.5-3 bowls of water. The rice-water ratio depends on the brand. I have used India Gate Brown Rice, and my soak time was 30 min, rice-water ratio was 1-2.
2. They will not be cooked in 1-2 whistles. Give them 2 whistles on full and simmer for 15 minutes. 
3. Don't release the pressure. Let it cool itself and open it after cooling off for about 5 min.  

What to Eat With This Brown Rice Pulao?

• Plain curd, bathua raita, baked tomato curd.
• Chana Spinach Dal Recipe.
• Choley/Rajma- If you ask any Indian, what's their favorite Rice curry: 90% of them will say Choley with Rice or Rajma with Rice. Find the perfect Choley Masala Recipe from my blog, or team with Any Gravy Dish Palak Paneer, Chana Saag, Vegan Meatballs With Gravy or with just green Dhaniya Ambi Chutney.

How To Make Brown Rice in Instant Pot?

Use saute mode in instant pot. Add oil/ ghee and spice it up. Saute all vegetables. It takes about 3-5 min. Next, add spices, salt and brown rice to the pot and stir it around for a minute or two to toast the rice slightly. Add water and Cook on high pressure mode for about 20 min. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally.

Recipe FAQs

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