I’m celebrating a biryani and pulao festival on my blog this month, featuring a rice dish from each Indian state. Today, on the eighth day of the festival, we visit Haryana. Aloo chutney pulao is a popular Haryanvi rice dish cooked with baby potatoes and a vibrant green chutney. It’s fragrant, comforting, and ideal for potato lovers. You can prepare the chutney fresh or use a refrigerated batch. I usually keep a jar of green chutney on hand, which made this pulao quick to assemble.
The first time I made this pulao, I cooked it while Sruti was at school. It was so delicious I wanted her to try it, so I made it again on the weekend. As expected, she loved it—she’s a serious potato fan. I ended up making it several times more while preparing other festival dishes. Some versions call for anardana, but I didn’t have any, so I used fresh pomegranate seeds as a tangy garnish. I couldn’t find baby potatoes during one attempt, so I used larger potatoes, peeled and cubed. The herbaceous chutney, potatoes, spices and basmati rice combine into a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal.
Ingredients
For the chutney
- Coriander leaves – a handful
- Mint leaves – a handful
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Green chillies – 8–10 (adjust to taste)
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
For the pulao
- Basmati rice – 1 cup
- Baby potatoes – 8–10 (or 2–3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed)
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Water – 2 cups
- Onion – 1, thinly sliced
- Cloves – 2
- Cinnamon – a small piece
- Star anise – 1
- Bay leaf – 1
- Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
Method
- Make the chutney: blend coriander, mint, cumin, green chillies and lemon juice in a mixer to a smooth paste, adding a little water only if needed.
- Peel the potatoes (or use baby potatoes as is), prick them with a toothpick or fork and toss with the green chutney. Let them marinate for about 1 hour so they absorb the flavors.
- Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Heat ghee in a deep pan or saucepan and add the whole spices: cloves, cinnamon, star anise and bay leaf. Sauté briefly until fragrant.
- Add the sliced onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a few seconds to remove the raw aroma.
- Add the marinated potatoes and cook on low heat until they are half done and the excess moisture from the chutney has evaporated.
- Add the drained basmati rice, stir gently to combine with the potatoes and spices.
- Pour in the measured water, add salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the rice is about 75% done.
- Gently fluff the rice once, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove from heat and let the pulao rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds or chopped coriander if desired.
This pulao makes a satisfying main course and showcases how a simple green chutney elevates humble potatoes and rice. The recipe serves two and can be doubled for a larger group. Adjust the number of chillies and amount of salt to suit your taste.
Recipes featured so far in this festival:
- Kaju Pulao from Andhra Pradesh
- Kharzi Pulao from Arunachal Pradesh
- Meetha Pulao from Assam
- Bihari Veg Boti Biryani
- Chole Chawal from Delhi
- Masala Bhath from Goa
- Khari Bhat from Gujarat
Aloo Chutney Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
- For the chutney: Coriander leaves – a handful; Mint leaves – a handful; Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp; Green chillies – 8–10; Lemon juice – 2 tbsp.
- For the pulao: Basmati rice – 1 cup; Baby potatoes – 8–10; Ghee – 2 tbsp; Water – 2 cups; Onion – 1; Cloves – 2; Cinnamon – small piece; Star anise – 1; Bay leaf – 1; Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp; Salt – to taste.
Instructions
- Blend chutney ingredients to a smooth paste with very little water.
- Peel and prick potatoes, then toss with chutney and marinate for 1 hour.
- Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
- Heat ghee, add whole spices and sauté until fragrant.
- Add sliced onion and cook until translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry briefly.
- Add marinated potatoes, cook on low until half done and moisture evaporates.
- Add rice, stir gently, then add water and salt. Cook until rice is 75% done.
- Mix once, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for other participants of BM#99.