The Mint rice/ Mint pulao is a one-pot dish that you can make for a busy weekday lunch. It’s so flavorful and loaded with vegetables. It’s perfect to pack for a lunch box or to cook for a crowd. Making it in Instant Pot is such a breeze.
Mint Rice
Mint is used widely in different cuisines. They are added to spicy dishes to desserts. As they have a strong flavor, they should be added carefully. If not, it would take over the other flavor of the dish.
Mint rice is an easy and yummy dish you can prepare quickly. You need only a few ingredients. This is perfect for your kid’s lunch box or at your workplace. It is usually served with Onion Raita or any of your favorite gravy. The Instant Pot makes cooking easier and you have just one pot to wash.
How to make Mint rice
Preparing Mint rice is so easy. Just grinding the spices and cooking them with rice. Delicious Mint rice is ready to be served. You can add any veggies you like or you can make it plain. I added potatoes and a few green peas. You can add Cauliflower or carrots. You can always adjust the spice powders as per your requirements.
Stove top method
Soak Basmati Rice for 30 minutes. Do not soak for more. It will become mushy. Strain it. Grind all the ingredients under ‘To grind’ with a little water to a paste. Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottom deep pot. Temper Bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns. Saute onions till golden.
Add the grounded paste and saute till the raw smell goes. Then add veggies and mix well. Add strained rice. Add water, lemon juice, and salt. Cook in the lower flame, else the rice may not be cooked and the water will be dried soon. Let it cook till the water is absorbed or the rice is cooked. Serve with raita or your favorite gravy.
Instant pot method
Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Then drain the water in a strainer. Keep it aside.
Switch on the Instant Pot. Press the saute button. Add oil/ ghee. Add the whole spices and saute for a few seconds. Then add sliced onions and saute until it becomes translucent. Now add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes. Then add the chopped vegetables and stir thoroughly. Add the strained rice and add the mentioned water. Add the required salt and close the lid. Press the cancel button and then the manual button. Set the timer for 6 minutes. Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Open and serve with raita.
Frequently asked questions
You can serve raita or yogurt-based side dishes like carrot raita, cucumber raita, or mango raita. Else simple papad or pickle will be great too.
Yes, just skip the ghee and use oil to make this mint pulao vegan.
More rice recipes in this space are
Mint rice recipe with stepwise instructions
INGREDIENTS
Basmati Rice – 1 1/2 cups
Onion – 1/2 cup thinly sliced
Potato – 1 medium-sized cubed
Frozen Green peas – 1/4 cup
Bay leaves- 2
Cinnamon Stick – 1/2 inch
Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 2
Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder – 3/4 tsp
Biriyani Masala – 1 tsp
Salt – As required
Water – 3 cups
Lemon Juice – 1/4 tsp
Oil – 1 tsp
Ghee / Clarified Butter – 1 tsp
To grind
Mint leaves – 1/4 cup
Ginger Garlic paste – 1/4 tsp
Green Chili – 2 nos
Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
METHOD
Stove top method
- Soak Basmati Rice for 30 minutes. Do not soak for more. It will become mushy. Strain it.
- Grind all the ingredients under ‘To grind’ with a little water to a paste.
- Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottom deep pot.
- Temper Bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns.
- Saute onions till golden.
- Add the grounded paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
- Then add veggies and mix well.
- Add strained rice.
- Add water, lemon juice, and salt. Cook in the lower flame.
- Let it cook till the water is absorbed or the rice is cooked.
- Serve with raita or your favorite gravy.
Instant pot method
- Switch on the Instant Pot. Press the saute button.
- Add oil/ ghee. Add the whole spices and saute for a few seconds.
- Then add sliced onions and saute until it becomes translucent.
- Now add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
- Then add the chopped vegetables and stir thoroughly.
- Add the strained rice and add the mentioned water. Add the required salt and close the lid.
- Press the cancel button and then the manual button. Set the timer to 6 minutes.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open and serve with raita.
NOTES
- Basmati Rice and water ratio is 1:2.
- Soak rice for a maximum of 30 minutes. Not more than that.
- Adding Lemon juice helps to prevent the rice from becoming mushy. The grains will be separate.
- Add veggies of your choice.
- You can make this in a normal pressure cooker.
- You can also add a few cilantro leaves, and a tablespoon of grated coconut along with the mint leaves while grinding.
Mint Rice/Pulao
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup Basmati rice
- 1/2 cup Onion thinly sliced
- 1 Potato cubed
- 1/4 cup frozen peas
- 2 Bay leaf
- 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper corns
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Red Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Biriyani Masala
- Salt as required
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ghee/Clarified butter
To grind
- 1/4 cup Mint Leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 Green Chili
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
Instructions
- Stove top method
- Soak Basmati Rice for 30 minutes. Do not soak for more. It will become mushy. Strain it.
- Grind all the ingredients under ‘To grind’ with little water to a paste.
- Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottom deep pot.
- Temper Bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns.
- Saute’ onions till golden.
- Add the grounded paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
- Then add veggies and mix well.
- Add strained rice.
- Add water, lemon juice, and salt. Cook in the lower flame.
- Let it cook till the water is absorbed or the rice is cooked.
- Serve with raita or your favorite gravy.
- Instant pot method
- Switch on the Instant pot. Press the saute button.
- Add oil/ ghee. Add the whole spices and saute for a few seconds.
- Then add sliced onions and saute until it becomes translucent.
- Now add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
- Then add the chopped vegetables and stir thoroughly.
- Add the strained rice and add the mentioned water. Add the required salt and close the lid.
- Press the cancel button and then the manual button. Set the timer to 6 minutes.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open and serve with raita.
Notes
- Basmati Rice and water ratio are 1:2. Soak rice for a maximum of 30 minutes. Not more than that.
- Adding Lemon juice helps to prevent the rice from becoming mushy. The grains will be separate.
- Add veggies of your choice.
- You can make this in a normal pressure cooker.
- You can also add few cilantro leaves, a tablespoon of grated coconut along with the mint leaves while grinding.
Nutrition
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This recipe is sent to Cookblogshare
Post published on Aug 12, 2017. Now updated with photos and content.
It is an amazing fragrance with the mint pulao. I love to make these with the fresh lot of mint that grows in spring.
That smells amazing I bet. Please do let me know your feedback when you try.
This rice pulao looks so tasty, especially since I have fresh mint growing in my garden right now. I didn’t know that you should soak basmati rice for only 30 minutes, that is a very helpful tip.
Glad you found this post helpful. Thank you
Me too have made this recipe once and I agree to it that it is super delicious carrying all the goodness of mint. Your’s looking too good.
Thank you
Mint rice sounds so delicious. Just a plate of mint rice with a refreshing raita or salad is all I need in my summer meals.
That sounds perfect to pair mint rice with raita or salad.
Very interesting recipe and a great take on the classical pulao. Will make this at home and try it.
Thank you
This mint rice looks really good. I’ve lots of mint growing in the garden so am going to give this a try this week.
Thank you
So interesting you add a potato to rice, I want to try this. It is amazing the number of spices you add, so much great flavor.
Thank you
I try to watch my carbs, have you ever tried this with cauliflower riced vs actual rice? The spices and flavors of this are amazing but I cannot eat rice but very rarely. thanks
I haven’t tried cauliflower rice but I’m sure you can try. Just need to adjust the water accordingly.
This mint rice dish looks so yummy. Thank you for sharing the stovetop version as I do not use an instant pot, yet. I found the addition of potatoes an interesting combination, and so flavorful.
I’m glad you found it helpful. Try the stovetop version and please do let me know how it turns.
One pot mint pulao is so delicious and quick and easy to make. Perfect for lunch box or travel.
Thank you
Mint rice is tasty and I often make it on weekends. Yours looks delicious.Making it in a instant pot is a time saver,
Thank you
Mint rice is the go to one pot dish on lazy days and for lunchbox in my home. Making it with veggies definitely makes a healthy option. Lovely share Lathi.
Thank you
Mint rice pulao is a flavourful treat… I always prefer quick one pot meal for busy days… You have nicely explained both methods…
Thank you
Wow! such a flavor packed rice dish. The pictures are making it look even more delicious and mouthwatering
Thank you
Mint flavored pulao looks so delicious, love such rice dishes that can be paired with any curries and lentils. A good no spicy recipe for kids’ lunchbox too!
Thank you