Varai Pulav/Pulao-Vrat Pulao

Fastings can be feasting too if you make yummy dishes. We Konkanis have little restrictions compared to the North Indian fasting.

Our rule is simple do not eat resturant food, no onion garlic, no rice that’s it.

Varai is a Konkani  and Marathi name for Barnyard Millet.Sama ke chawal, or samvat rice or Mordhna are the hindi names for Barnyard millet. So I have used this millet and made a Pulav/Pulao which both the South Indians and North Indians can make.

Here is what we Need/ for the dish

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Varai or sama or vrat ke chawal or barnyard millet
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• ½ cup carrots peled and cubed
• ½ cup beans cut into 1” pcs**
• 2-3 cloves
• 3-4 whole black pepper
• ½ inch ginger + 1 green chili (crushed in a mortar-pestle)
• 8-10 whole cashews
• 8-10 almonds
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• 2.5 to 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander for garnish
• rock salt/sendha namak as required
• lemon juice and lemon wedges ifr equired

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the Varai/ barnyard millet a couple of times in water like the way we rinse rice.
2. Soak it in enough water for 20-30 minutes.
3. Heat oil or ghee.
4. Roast  the cashews and almonds and keep aside.
5. Now In the same pan with ghee add all the whole spices - cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and black pepper.
6. Saute till the oil become fragrant and the cumin crackles.
7. Add the crushed ginger-green chili and saute for half a minute on a low flame.
8. Ad the cubed carrots, beans and saute for 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
9. Drain the sama rice and add it to the mixture and stir well.
10. Add water & salt and cook till the water is absorbed and the millet grains are cooked.
11. When serving the Varai pulav, garnish with the dry fruits and coriander leaves.
12. When serving you can also sprinkle some lemon juice in the pulao. 
13. Serve it with Cucumber and tomato raitha or plain yogurt.

Note:

Many do not use Beans during fasting. Where as we do not have such restrictions.

You can also pressure cook the pulav for 3 whistles and it will be done.

Happy Cooking,