Much has been debated & said about similar dishes known as Pilaf, Pilav, Pulao/Pulav, Palaw & so on. According to Wikipedia, Mahabharata (ancient Sanskrit epic) mentions rice and meat cooked together, and the word “pulao” or “pallao” is used to refer to the dish in ancient Sanskrit works. Afghan dish palaw is also made with Basmati (a fragrant variety of rice from the Indian subcontinent), raisins & meat cooked together.

The basic concept of Pulao involves boiling of long grained Basmati rice in stock or water with subtle spices & some kind of meat &/or vegetables &/or dry fruits. Unlike its cousin Biryani, which boasts bold flavours & spices, Pulao is subtle in taste. Unlike fried rice, the rice is not previously cooked rather rice & meat/fish/vegetables are cooked together for some time.  Khichadi another closely resembling rice dish from India is also cooked in a similar fashion however it generally involves some kind of lentil or sprouts (popularly known as dal-khichadi).

My version of Indian Vegetable Pulao:

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice (its available in Indian stores across US & UK)
2. Onions, finely chopped
3. Carrots, washed, peeled & cut in pieces
4. Green peas (if using frozen peas, microwave in water for a minute & drain)
5. Ginger-garlic paste (readymade or chop ginger & garlic & grind together with dash of water)
6. Dried bay leaf
7. Long/black cardamom (whole)
8. Cumin seeds (optional)
9. Cooking oil/clarified butter (ghee)

Method:

1. Soak Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Then drain the water. Keep aside.
2. In a cooking pan add ghee/oil. When ghee is hot enough add bay leaf, black cardamom & cumin seeds (if using).
3. Add ginger-garlic paste & sauté. (one can also add chopped green chilies for additional heat)
4. Add onions & sauté till translucent.
5. Add carrots & green peas. Mix well.
6. Let the veggies cook until half done.
7. Add pre-soaked & drained Basmati rice. Mix well.
8. Add water (proportion: 2 parts water for 1 part rice, so if the quantity of rice is 1 cup, add 2 cups water) (consider the quantity of rice after soaking & draining). Mix well.
9. If using ready-made pulao masala, add at this stage.
10. Let the water come to boil.
11. Add salt & mix well.
12. Cook with lid on until done. (Entire water should be evaporated & rice should not stick to the bottom of the pan).
13. Garnish with fried or salted nuts/dried fruits of your choice.
14. Serve with raita & lime wedges (raita: Plain/unflavoured yoghurt mixed with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, beetroots, etc.)
15. Note: Some people also add turmeric powder (especially in case of meat/fish/paneer pulao, giving the entire dish a vibrant yellow colour).