Kavitha Aunty S Rice Bath My Food Story

on Apr 28, 2022 I used to be one of those people who thought there was just one type of pulao out there – but I was SO wrong! There are so many ways you can prepare pulao and this recipe is a Karnataka Style preparation that will just blow you away. Love Eggs? Try Pressure Cooker Veg Pulao and Kabuli Chana Pulao! The first time I tried this pulao, I was amazed! My friend would always rave about her mother’s Karnataka style pulao and how I had to try it. It was so good I just had to share this recipe for you to try.

I like this rice bath recipe because of how simple it is to prepare but how unique the flavours are.The ingredients are all pantry staples so this makes the perfect weeknight rice preparation – especially as it has lots of added veggies. It’s one pot, all in the pressure cooker – so no fuss with the clean up as well. Need I say more?

What You need for Kavitha Aunty’s Rice Bath

How to make Kavitha Aunty’s Rice Bath

Here’s a quick step by step collage to show you how to make Karnataka style Rice Bath:

Add green chillies, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, marathi moggu, fennel, coriander leaves, mint leaves, grated coconut and water to the small chutney/grinding jar of the mixie.
Grind into a coarse paste. Add more water to adjust the consistency if required. Do not make it into a fine paste. The coarse texture adds to the texture of the dish.
Add oil to a pressure cooker and allow to heat up. Add a bay leaf and fry for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Add the blended paste and fry for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell goes away.
Add onion, carrot, potato and beans. Cut them into chunks and keep them slightly thick. If you cut them too small, they will become mushy while pressure cooking.
Wash and rinse rice at least 3 times, this will wash away the excess starch present in the rice. Add this to the pressure cooker along with curry leaves. Mix and lightly saute the rice for 2-3 minutes. Add water and mix.
Season with salt and mix. Taste the broth and adjust salt before pressure cooking as it will not be convenient to adjust the salt once rice is cooked.
Pressure cook on high for 2 whistles and turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Once the pressure is released carefully remove the whistle and lid of the cooker. Top with lemon juice, croutons and fried onions. Mix and serve hot.

Richa’s Top Tips

To achieve the fluffiest rice and avoid making a sticky pulao, soak the rice in water 30 minutes prior to cooking to remove excess starch from the grains and give them a better texture when cooked. Before adding water to the pressure cooker, saute the rice grains in ghee and the green masala for 2-3 minutes – coating the grains with fat will make the cooked rice fluffy!

What to serve with Karnataka Style Pulao?

Raita – A simple and thin onion raita or boondi raita(yogurt side dish) will go really well with this rice and will balance the heat from the green chillies and moisten the rice. Papad – Crunchy papad, fluffy rice. Anyone else a fan of crushing papad pieces on top of rice dishes? Not only is it satisfying but so worth it for getting a crunch in every bite! If you are skipping out on the croutons, you can use papad for crunch instead. Pickle – the tangy flavours from pickles go really well with the aromatic rice. If you’re looking to make a satisfying yet simple meal – this rice bath recipe has you covered. Give it a try and you’ll find yourselves making this every week!