Minty Vegetable & Chicken Pulao | One Pot Meal

Quick lunch box ideas or dinner recipes or a lazy weekend recipes are always inviting and makes easier for the mom chefs at home.But how about a combination of vegetables and chicken together,its just flavorful with added tinge of mint & cilantro.My kids just loved the taste and aroma of this delicious pulao,a biriyani in disguise for them.However,it use very less amount of ghee and oil but still has the texture similar to that of a chicken biriyani.This is a easy and quick pulao which hardly takes much efforts & time if you have all the veggies and chicken cut in advance,although the ingredient list looks lengthy.Do give this a try and am sure all will love it !!!

Ingredients
to cook rice
basmati rice 1 1/2 cup
water 3 cups
salt

to make masala
chicken boneless 1/2 lb
beans sliced 1cup
carrots 1 cup
onion 2 sliced,half moon
ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
garam masala 1tsp
whole garam masala (cloves 3,cinnamon 1" piece,cardamom 3,bay leaves 2)
raisins 1tbsp
cashews 2 tbsp
pepper powder 1tsp +1/2 tsp
garam masala 1 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
oil 2tbsp
ghee 2tbsp
salt

to grind
mint 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp
cilantro  1/3 cup + 1tbsp
green chillies 3-4

(In the pic,Pulao,cucumber raitha,pappad & a slice of orange)

Method
-Wash and soak the rice for 20 mins.
-Heat a pan and add ghee.Fry the raisins and cashews.Drain in a small bowl.
-Add oil to the same pan with ghee and add whole garam masala.Fry for a minute and then add sliced onions,saute till lightly browned.Takes almost 5-7 minutes on medium flame.
-Marinate the chicken pieces with pepper powder 1/2 tsp and salt for 15-30 mins.
-In the mean time,grind the mint leaves,cilantro(reserve the 1tbsp for garnish) and green chillies coarsely.
-Saute the beans and carrots for about 3-4 minutes,add little salt.
-Add and saute the ginger garlic paste and the ground paste till the raw smell disappears.
-Add the garam masala,pepper powder and turmeric powder.
-Add the chicken pieces and toss well.Cover and cook for 5 mins on low medium flame.(don't add water as chicken  leaves out water.If you have no water then add half a cup of water)
-Boil water in a cooker with salt and add the rice.Cook over medium heat.Gently fluff with a fork and turn off heat when all water is absorbed.
-Chicken and vegetables gets cooked in another 5 mins.Adjust salt.Add the cooked rice to it and gently mix everything,add in the fried raisins and cashews,reserved mint leaves,cilantro.
-Cover and leave for 5 mins and then serve warm with raitha ,pappad & pickle !!

Servings ~ 3 adults

NOTES
* You can add the ginger pieces and garlic clove along with grinding list if you don't have ginger garlic paste.I usually make ginger garlic paste at home,so use that.
* Cut the chicken bite size and this helps easy cooking.I used boneless chicken breast and so cooks faster.
* You can use any vegetables of your choice but don't add a combination of not more than two varieties.
* If you wish to avoid ghee,then fry the raisins and cashew in oil.But ghee adds a nice flavor.

Related posts : 
Tomato side dish curry(for biriyani or pulao),
Biriyani Chammanthi
Mushroom -Paneer Pulao
Egg Roasted Pulao