If you’ve got picky eaters at home, packing their lunch boxes can be a real headache. Kids can be super fussy, especially when it comes to veggies, so they often miss out on those important vitamins and minerals they need to grow up strong and healthy. If you’re tired of the same old sandwiches and snacks, don’t stress—we’ve got your back! We’ve put together some fun and tasty pulao recipes that’ll keep your kids happy and their bellies full. These ideas are packed with nutrients, so you can feel good about what they’re eating, even if they’re not into greens

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients:

1 medium carrot, cut into 1 inch diamonds

10-12 medium cauliflower florets

5-6 French beans, diagonally cut into 1 inch pieces

¼ cup shelled green peas

1½ cups Daawat Pulav Basmati Rice

2 tbsps ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

4-5 cloves

5-6 black peppercorns

2-3 green cardamoms

1 bay leaf

1 inch cinnamon stick

2-3 green chillies, slit

Salt to taste

Curry to serve

Method:

1. Take Daawat Pulav Basmati Rice in a bowl. Add sufficient water and wash for 2-3 times.

2. Add sufficient water and soak for 20-25 minutes. Drain the water.

3. Heat ghee in a non-stick deep pan. Add cumin seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, green cardamoms, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick and sauté till fragrant.

4. Add the green chillies, carrot, cauliflower florets, French beans, and green peas and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

5. Stir in the soaked rice and salt and gently mix till well combined. Pour in 2½ cups hot water and mix. Cover and cook on high heat for about 8-10 minutes or till the moisture is absorbed. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes.

6. Switch the heat off and allow the pulao to rest for 15 minutes.

7. Transfer the pulao on a serving plate. Serve hot with curry.

Jodhpuri Kabuli Pulao

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, unpeeled and sliced into roundels

15-20 medium cauliflower florets

1 medium carrot, cut into thin roundels

2 medium onions, cut into thin roundels

2-3 white bread slices, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 cups cooked biryani rice

1 tbsp oil + for deep frying

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

8-10 garlic cloves

3-4 green chillies

Salt to taste

2 tbsps ghee + for drizzling

1½ tsps cumin seeds

1½ cups fresh tomato puree

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1½ tsps coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp garam masala powder + for sprinkling

¾ cup yogurt

6-8 cashew nuts, halved and deep fried

5-6 fried almonds

2 tsps fried raisins

1½ tsps sugar

2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves + for sprinkling + for garnish

A large pinch of saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk

Method:

1. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai, add potato and deep-fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain and transfer on an absorbent paper. Similarly, deep fry the cauliflower florets, carrots, onion roundels and bread slices individually till golden brown and crisp. Drain on the same absorbent paper.

2. To make the masala paste, put the chopped onion, ginger, garlic cloves, green chillies, ¼ water and salt in a grinder jar. And grind to a fine paste.

3. Heat ghee and 1 tbsp oil in a deep pan. Add cumin seeds and let them change colour. Add the ground paste and sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium heat or till golden brown.

4. Add the tomato puree along with some salt and mix well. Cover and cook till the fat separates.

5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and mix well. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

6. Reduce the heat to low, add whisked yogurt, mix and cook till the fat separates.

7. Add ¾ of the fried cashew nuts, ¾ of the fried almonds, ¾ of the fried raisins and sugar and mix.

8. Reserve some of the fried bread slices and add the rest into the pan along with the fried vegetables. Mix and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

9. Add ¾ cup water and mix well. Add coriander leaves and mix till well combined. Reserve half of this mixture into a bowl.

10. Add 1½ cups cooked biryani rice and spread it evenly. Sprinkle garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Add the reserved vegetable mixture and spread it evenly.

11. Sprinkle the remaining biryani rice and spread it evenly. Drizzle the soaked saffron milk, sprinkle salt and garam masala powder and sprinkle some coriander leaves.

12. Arrange remaining fried almonds, fried raisins, fried cashew nuts and place the reserved fried bread slices. Drizzle some ghee and cover the pan with an aluminum foil. Place the lid on and cook on low-medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Switch the heat off and allow the mixture to rest for 5-10 minutes.

13. Transfer on to a serving plate, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

(All recipes by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)

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