Instant Pot Mint Pulao

You are going to love this bright and fresh mint pulao! It’s aromatic, flavorful and just look at that pretty green hue!

This instant pot mint pulao is a great way to use up all of the fresh mint growing in your garden! Or if you’re like me and have a brown thumb (figuratively and literally… my thumb is actually brown) then you can drive over to your nearest grocery store or farmers market to pick up some up so you too can enjoy this aromatic and flavorful pulao/pilaf!

Mint pulao, also known as pudina pulao, is a simple rice recipe that goes well with raita/yogurt. It’s a light dish that’s decently spiced and potentially spicy depending on how much serrano/green chili you use. It’s naturally gluten-free and vegan too – a dish almost anyone can enjoy. It’s basically just mint flavored rice with some veggies – in this recipe I list peas and potatoes but you can feel free to use what you like. Corn or carrots would be great in this too. Just be sure to adjust the salt if you use extra veggies.

Mint pulao is really easy to make because there isn’t as much sautéing involved. You blend a bunch of ingredients together to create a mint paste. Then you heat up oil and whole spices and sauté the mint for just a few minutes. Dump in the rest of the ingredients and wait for the pressure cooker to do it’s thang.

I hope you love this Indian spiced mint rice! Leave me a comment letting me know what you think of it 🙂

Instant Pot Mint Pulao

Instant Pot Mint Pulao

4.75 from 12 reviews

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1 cup basmati rice love this brand, soaked 15 minutes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil

Mint Paste:

• ▢ 1 cup fresh mint leaves tightly packed
• ▢ ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves tightly packed
• ▢ ½ onion roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons grated coconut* I use frozen
• ▢ 4-5 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 inch ginger roughly chopped
• ▢ ½ serrano pepper adjust to taste

Whole Spices:

• ▢ ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ 2 green cardamom
• ▢ 2 cloves
• ▢ 1 star anise
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ ½ cinnamon stick
• ▢ 1 cup water*
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas
• ▢ 2 medium gold potatoes approx. ½ pound, cut into quarters OR 4 small gold potatoes (approx. ½ pound), cut in half
• ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoons salt omit ¼ tsp if not using potatoes
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ Mint leaves garnish

Instructions

 

• Soak the basmati rice in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
• Add all of the mint paste ingredients into a blender and puree. Set aside for now.
• Press the sauté button and add the oil to the pot. Allow it a minute to heat up, then add the whole spices and stir. Once the cumin begins to brown, add the mint puree.
• Stir-fry the mint puree for 4-5 minutes or until most of the liquid from the mint puree evaporates, then add the rice, water, frozen peas, potatoes, salt and garam masala and mix well.
• Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 6 minutes at high pressure.
• Naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then open the valve to release any remaining pressure.

Notes

• *Tip: after you blend the mint paste, you can use the 1 cup of water and swirl it around the blender to get any extra bit of mint out.

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