01
Pulav with Bread
With Rice
Pulav - a Tamil-style spiced vegetable rice.
Basmati rice cooked with vegetables in a ground coconut masala, topped with fried bread pieces.
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AMMAMMA'S NOTES.
Basmati rice
1 cup
Green peas
1/4 cup
Onion
2
Tomato
2
Mixed vegetables (beans, carrot, cauliflower)
1 cup
Coconut (grated)
3 spoon
Green chilly
1
Ginger
1 small piece
Pepper
3-4
Coriander seed (daniya)
2 spoon
Cumin
2 spoon
Cinnamon
1 piece
Clove
3
Cardamom
2
Coriander leaves
few
Garam masala
1/2 spoon
Oil
3 spoon
Salt
to taste
Bread
2-3 slices cut into small pieces
01
Wash and soak the basmati rice for half an hour; strain. Cook with 2 cups water per cup of rice and a little salt in a cooker for 2 whistles.
02
Cut the onions and tomatoes, and the mixed vegetables.
03
In a mixie, grind the coconut, green chilly, ginger, pepper, coriander seed, cumin, and coriander leaves to a paste.
04
In a pan, add oil, then cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and cardamom.
05
After a few minutes, add the onion, then the tomatoes once the onion turns golden.
06
Add all the vegetables and let them cook, then add the ground coconut mixture.
07
Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cooked rice; mix everything and add garam masala.
08
Cook for 2 more minutes and switch off the stove.
09
Cut the bread into small pieces and fry in oil, then add to the cooked pulav.
Bisi Bele Baath
Rice, dal and vegetables cooked together in a pot, with tamarind and bisi bele baath powder, finished with ghee.
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Coconut Rice
Thengai Sadam - Tamil for coconut rice, a South Indian temple classic.
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A recipe she invented — the fried bread addition to pulav has been life-changing for me. When I was younger I thought that was the only way to eat it. She took extra care to keep the rice from overcooking for me, and that was all I needed — plus the extra fried bread she'd keep aside, and the yummy onion raitha I'd help her make at the end.
YAMINI VENKATESAN
WHAT'S FOR LUNCH, 2026