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Morning hours are usually critical in every family as we all are busy making kids ready for school, packing their lunch boxes, our lunch boxes and making ourselves ready for work too. We definitely need some quick, healthy and easy lunch menus for those busy hours.This Spinach and carrot pulav is one easy option I always find to keep in my kids as well as husband’s lunch boxes.
Spinach is full of iron and fiber, carrots are so full with beta carotene and fiber content. This root vegetable is also a good source of antioxidant agents. Spinach and carrot pulav is a great one pot meal and doesn’t need any elaborate side dishes as it’s balanced and nutritious on its own. Also, since we use the pressure cooker for making this spinach rice, it makes the job much quicker and easier.
There are various versions of making spinach and carrot Pulav, in this recipe I used frozen spinach, but you can definitely use fresh spinach to make the pulav.
1. In a non stick pan heat few drops of oil and then add chopped garlic to it. Once garlic is cooked, add washed and finely chopped spinach along with green chili. cook for 10 minutes without covering the pan with lid and then turn off the flame. Let this mixture cool down and then grind this in blender to make a smooth puree.
2. In a pressure cooker, heat the rest of the oil and once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves and sliced onions. Cook the onions till they are light brown in color.
3. Now add the potatoes and carrots and saute for few minutes.Then add green peas and saute for a minute more.
4. Then add the spinach puree and cook for few seconds. Then add the soaked rice and saute the rice for one minute more. Add the water and close the lid of the cooker. Cook the rice till one whistle and then switch off the flame. Once the steam is released, open the pressure cooker and gently take out the rice and serve hot with cucumber raita and salad and enjoy.
- 2 cups Spinach leaves finely chopped ( 1.5 cups if frozen)
- 1.5 cups Basmati Rice
- 1/2 cup Green peas
- 1 big Potato cut into quarters
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 green chili
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 cloves
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3-4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 big onion sliced
- salt to taste
- 1.5 tbsp oil
- 3 cups of water
- In a non stick pan heat few drops of oil and then add chopped garlic to it. Once garlic is cooked, add washed and finely chopped spinach along with green chili.
- Cook for 10 minutes without covering the pan with lid and then turn off the flame. Let this mixture cool down and then grind this in blender to make a smooth puree.
- In a pressure cooker, heat the rest of the oil and once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves and sliced onions. Cook the onions till they are light brown in color.Now add the potatoes and carrots and saute for few minutes.
- Then add green peas and saute for a minute more and then add the spinach puree and cook for few seconds.
- Then add the soaked rice and saute the rice for one minute more. Add the water and close the lid of the cooker. Cook the rice till one whistle and then switch off the flame. Once the steam is released, open the pressure cooker and gently take out the rice and serve hot with cucumber raita and salad and enjoy.
- This kind of Pulav is a great choice for lunch boxes also. you can keep yogurt or raita as a side along with salad and a complete meal will be ready.
- I used frozen spinach for this recipe , but you can use fresh one.
- You can also add peanuts in the beginning , just after the tadka.
- More vegetables such as cauliflower, beans etc can also be added to make the pulav more healthier.
Grilled Chicken, Quinoa and Spinach Salad
