For most Moms, planning a lunchbox menu is one of the most stressful parts of meal planning! Every Mom wants to see her child’s lunchbox come back empty, with their tummies full. And rightly so, a well balanced meal at lunch time keeps the energy going, and helps kids focus on their studies without falling asleep! One such recipe is our new coriander vegetable rice for kids, a flavorful variation on a regular vegetable pulao.
Coriander Vegetable Rice for Kids
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup long grain rice
- 1/2 cup chopped vegetables of your choice. (I have used green peas and carrots)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/2 inch ginger piece
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 black pepper corns
- 1-2 clove
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- Salt to taste
Method:
1. Wash the rice thoroughly, drain and keep aside for 10 minutes. Roughly chop the ginger and garlic .
2. In a grinder jar , pulse the coriander leaves, ginger and garlic to make a paste. Add 1-2 teaspoon water if needed.
3. Heat a pressure cooker on a medium flame and melt ghee. Add the whole spices and saute for 30 seconds.
4. Add onion and stir fry until it turns soft. Add vegetables and saute for another 1-2 minutes.
5. Now add the the prepared green paste and saute well.
6. At this stage add the turmeric powder and salt followed by rice. Stir fry everything well for 1-2 minutes.
7. Lastly add 2 cups water , stir well. You can do a taste test at this point. Adjust the seasonings if desired.
8. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and cook for 2 whistles. Turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork .
9. Serve warm with salad and curd/ raita.
The coriander vegetable rice should be given to kids while warm and consumed the same day. While it is a great option for the lunchbox, it can also be served at lunch or dinner with some salad and curd. The whole spices add a beautiful flavor to the rice, and this recipe can be served to kids above 2 years of age. And since it’s a one pot recipe, it makes life easier for Moms!
- ½ cup long grain rice
- ½ cup chopped vegetables of your choice. (I have used green peas and carrots)
- ½ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 onion, sliced
- ½ inch ginger piece
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 black pepper corns
- 1-2 clove
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- Salt to taste
- Wash the rice thoroughly, drain and keep aside for 10 minutes. Roughly chop the ginger and garlic .
- In a grinder jar , pulse the coriander leaves, ginger and garlic to make a paste. Add 1-2 teaspoon water if needed.
- Heat a pressure cooker on a medium flame and melt ghee. Add the whole spices and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add onion and stir fry until it turns soft. Add vegetables and saute for another 1-2 minutes.
- Now add the the prepared green paste and saute well.
- At this stage add the turmeric powder and salt followed by rice. Stir fry everything well for 1-2 minutes.
- Lastly add 2 cups water , stir well. You can do a taste test at this point. Adjust the seasonings if desired.
- Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and cook for 2 whistles. Turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork .
- Serve warm with salad and curd/ raita.