Cabbage Pulao / Muttaikose Pulav

Cabbage Pulao / Muttaikose Pulao

Recipe Details

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Ingredients

• Basmati rice – 2 cups
• Cabbage – 2 cups, very thinly shredded
• Oil – 5 tsp
• Onion – 1, thinly sliced
• Cinnamon – 2 small pieces
• Clove – 1
• Garlic – 4 cloves, finely chopped
• Green chilies – 5, finely chopped
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – to taste, divided
• Coconut milk – 1 cup
• Water – 1 1/2 cups, for cooking the rice
• Water – as needed, for soaking the rice
• Ghee – 2 tsp, divided
• Lemon – 1/2

If using homemade coconut milk, the original recipe prepares approximately 1 cup coconut milk from about 1/2 cup grated coconut.

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Preparation

1. Rinse the basmati rice and soak it in enough water for about 10 minutes. Drain well before cooking.
2. Shred the cabbage into very thin strips. Reserve a small handful of the well-washed shredded cabbage for adding at the end.
3. Slice the onion lengthwise.
4. Finely chop the green chilies and garlic.
5. Keep the coconut milk, whole spices, and remaining ingredients ready.

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Cooking Instructions

Cook the Rice

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
2. Add the cinnamon, clove, and chopped garlic and fry briefly until aromatic.
3. Add the drained basmati rice, garam masala, turmeric powder, and a little salt.
4. Gently fry for a few minutes until the rice is lightly coated with the spices and excess surface moisture has evaporated.
5. Pour in 1 cup coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water.
6. Mix gently and pressure cook until the rice is just cooked and the grains remain separate.
7. Allow the pressure to release, then open the cooker.
8. Add a little of the measured ghee and gently fluff the rice with a large fork. Keep aside.

Prepare the Cabbage

1. Heat the remaining ghee in a separate wide pan.
2. Add the sliced onion and finely chopped green chilies.
3. Add a little salt and sauté until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
4. Add most of the shredded cabbage, reserving the small handful set aside earlier.
5. Stir-fry until the cabbage is about half cooked and still has a little bite.

Finish the Pulao

1. Add the sautéed cabbage mixture to the cooked rice.
2. Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 lemon.
3. Gently fold everything together without breaking the rice grains.
4. Sprinkle the reserved raw shredded cabbage over the top.
5. Cover and let the pulao rest for a few minutes so the fresh cabbage softens slightly while retaining some crunch.
6. Taste and adjust the salt if needed before serving.

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Tips

Water Ratio: Coconut milk counts as part of the cooking liquid. For 2 cups basmati rice soaked for about 10 minutes, this version uses 1 cup coconut milk plus 1 1/2 cups water. Too much liquid can make the rice soft or mashed.

Do Not Oversoak: About 10 minutes of soaking is enough for this method. Longer soaking may require slightly less cooking liquid.

Keep the Rice Fluffy: Once cooked, fluff the rice gently with a large fork rather than stirring vigorously.

Cabbage Texture: Cook most of the cabbage only until it is partly tender. This keeps the pulao light and prevents the vegetable from becoming mushy.

Fresh Cabbage Finish: The small amount of raw shredded cabbage added at the end gives the pulao a fresh crunch. Make sure it is thoroughly washed and drained before using.

Mild Pulao: This rice is deliberately mild, making it a good match for flavorful vegetable kurma, chicken gravy, or other curries.

Serving Suggestion

Serve Cabbage Pulao warm with raita and your favorite vegetable or non-vegetarian gravy.

Recipe Source: From my mother-in-law.