Instant Pot Mint Pulao | How to make Pudina Rice

Mint rice garnished with cashews and raisin

5 from 19 votes

Instant Pot Mint Pulao | How to make Pudina Rice

Pudina Pulao or Mint Rice is a very aromatic and easy recipe to make with the mint / pudina that is growing wild in your backyard. Love this one pot meal and ever since started making it in the Instant pot, it has become even more easier to enjoy it.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Entree, Lunch Recipes

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 328kcal

Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

Instant Pot
Pressure Cooker If not using Instant Pot

Ingredients

2 cups Mint tightly packed, Washed and leaves separated
2 cups Basmati Rice
4 Green chilies
1 Onion thinly sliced
¼ cup Fresh coconut
1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
4 Cardamom
1 stick Cinnamon
2 Bay leaf
1 Star Anise
1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
2 tablespoon Roasted cashews and raisins
2 tablespoon Oil
to taste Salt

Instructions

Wash the rice well and soak it in water for at least 30 mins.
Make a paste of Mint leaves, coconut, green chilies and half the onion. Try to make the paste thick by using less water.
Heat oil in saute mode of IP and fry the cashews and raisins. Remove it on a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and add the whole spices. (fennel seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise)
Then add the remaining onion, ginger garlic paste and sauté them for until they are slightly brown.
Now add the pureed mixture. Sauté until the paste thickens and changes dark green from bright green.
Add the soaked rice along with salt. Mix well and cook on pressure cook mode for 6 minutes. Once the time is up, do a quick release in 10 minutes.
Add the fried cashews and raisins and serve the Mint Pulao hot with raita.

Notes

Expert tips and FAQ's

Use fresh mint to make this recipe.
Basmati rice works the best but if it is not available, use sona masoori. Do not use sticky rice as it will ruin the texture.

Preserving Mint to use later

If you grow mint at home and want to save them for winter, you could do so by making a powder out of it. Wash the mint leaves and let them dry. Spread the mint leaves in microwave safe plate or flat container and microwave them for couple of minutes. Spread them again with your hands and again microwave it for couple of minutes. Do the process until the leaves are crumbly. Repeat the process with all the leaves. Powder them using a dry grinder and store it airtight in a glass container. This powder has a very long shelf life and you could use this as a dry spice in any of the preferred dishes.
You could also make a paste of the mint leaves and pour it into ice cube trays and then store them in freezer bags once frozen. This paste could be used in pulao or any dish that requires mint in wet form.

Nutrition