It is hard to describe my excitement when I saw the tender spring garlic in the market and it goes without saying that it was harder to resist not buying it even though they hit my pocket hard. I had last had potatoes stir fried in the chopped spring garlic nearly a decade ago; they tasted awesome. The best thing about spring garlic is that it is not strong and pungent like the mature garlic. Spring garlic has this mellow quality about it that is not over powering; the flavors are subtle yet distinctively garlicky.
Pilaf gives one the liberty to become whimsical…how you ask? One just needs to add whatever one fancies to the rice and the end result is a delicious rewarding rice dish one pot meal; sweet or savory! Simple that a pilaf may be, yet it happens to be such a wonderful fragrant dish which is great on its own and with a side dish or an accompaniment of pickle or chutney; not to forget a drizzle of ghee over hot pilaf J I like to serve savory pilafs with Boondi Raita.
Serve with accompaniments of your choice. I usually pair them in groups, such as chutney with papad and yogurt or ghee with pickle and papad. Make your own combinations and enjoy!
3/4th glass Basmati Rice
1½ glasses Water
250-300 grams Spring Garlic (Garlic Shoots)
½ heaped cup Green Peas (fresh or frozen) 1/3 heaped cup Split Bengal gram Dal (soaked over night or in hot water for at least two hours)
1 inch stick Cinnamon
5 Cloves
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Bay Leaf 2-3 tbsp Oil Salt and red chili powder to taste ½ tsp Garam masala
To serve:
Dahi or Boondi Raita
Pick, wash (give it at least 5 – 6 washes ensuring that you do not rub the rice vigorously else the grains will break) and soak rice for half an hour. Keep aside. Wash and clean the spring garlic and chop it along with the greens. Keep aside. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot and pop in the cinnamon, cloves, cumin leaves and bay leaf. Once the spices become aromatic, add sliced spring garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add the dal, peas and drained rice. Stir in the salt, chili powder and garam masala. Fry for a minute. Add the measured out water and wait for it to begin boiling. Cover the pot with a tight lid and reduce the flame to minimum. Do not open the lid while the rice is cooking. Let it cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the flame and open the lid after 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot with your favorite accompaniment/s. Note: The cooking time of the rice will depend on the quality of the rice that you are using. Note: Do not be horrified with the amount of garlic that went into this pulao. As I mentioned earlier, the flavors of spring garlic are delicate and if you reduce the amount it won’t impart a lovely garlicky flavour to the pulao; it would end up tasting just like any other pulao.
Serves 4 Try more of such one pot meal dishes, Kale Moti Biryani (Bengal Gram Biryani) Yakhni Pula (Lamb Pilaf – a delicately flavored pilaf)
IT IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TO HEAR FROM FRIENDS AND READERS. I CAN ALSO BE REACHED AT: easyfoodsmith@gmail.com
Hearing about spring garlic for the first time,super cute they look,lovely dish
You must try using spring garlic Harini if you are a garlic fan 😀
Love spring garlic! The pilaf looks very tasty!
Thank you Angie
lovely, tasty and flavourful pulao.
This sounds delightful. I love it when I see the new seasons ingredients for the first time. Sound like we both get equally excited!
Absolutely Chris!
I sow garlic in a pot at my home to relish the flavor of it’s leaves someday. …Amazing flavor its has…
Nice snaps…
Lucky you! Enjoy the gift of nature 🙂
And thanks 🙂
I have never tried the garlic spring! Awesome pulao. Love the pics!
Thanks Rekha. Try it…you will love it.
Hallo.
Ein schönes Rezept aber Ghee ist nicht vegan, vielleicht sollte sie noch ein Ersatz dazu schreiben, ja, ich weiß man es natürlich selber austauschen es ist aber immer besser wenn man es mit dazu schreibt.
Viele Grüße,
Jesse Gabriel
Hello!
Thanks for visiting EFS.
Ghee is not a part of this recipe but rather an accompaniment which is optional. But you rightly pointed out that it would be better to mention it as being non-vegan.
Thanks
Oh, sorry, ich habe erst jetzt gelesen das sie Öl dazu geschrieben habe.
Viele Grüße,
Jesse Gabriel
Can I just tell you that your photography is amazing?! I loveeeeee your stories and photography and am so glad I came across your blog!
Awww…thank you so much Henna. Its very kind of you to say that. I hope I get to see more of you 🙂
I can’t wait until spring comes and we start seeing all the new season plants! This looks like such a terrific dish. Love it! Thanks so much.
Thank you. I hope you get to try it.
I love your photo of the garlic! What a marvelous dish. Everything I like!
We will LOVE this dish – the ingredients are things we all really enjoy.
I am sure you will Maureen and it pairs wonderfully with tikkas and kebabs.
Green garlic is my absolute favorite – It has been ages I cooked with it! These pulao looks tempting – I have to get my hands on some green garlic and try your recipe soon! Your photography is gorgeous!
Thanks alot Medha. It means a lot coming from you.
It is rare that I can find green garlic here and when I saw it the other day I just wanted to use it asap. I didn’t want to mull over as to how to make it or create a dish. I just made it into something that first popped up in my mind!!
What a delicious dish, full of fresh greens and flavour 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
A beautiful pilaf and delicious combination of ingredients!
Cheers,
Rosa
I had no clue “spring garlic” even existed – thank you for educating me and for sharing this chana dal and rice dish! It looks wonderful!
It is wonderful Shashi. Do try it and I hope you like it.
such a lovely pilaf..so yumm so flavourful….happy to follow you…
Hello Gloria, thanks for visiting EFS and following it. And thanks for your words.
Looks great, chana dal is my favourite dal! I am also learning a different way of cooking Indian from your blog. I’ll have to check your blog for kadi as I don’t know how to cook this yet and would love to know how!
I am so glad you find the recipes of help 🙂
I hope you will like the kadi recipe as well 🙂
Nice recipe. Your photos are absolutely stunning. I want to take a photo class but just haven’t found the time or someone to teach me one on one what I want to learn – which basically is everything!
Thanks alot Vicky. I too began with just a camera in my hands! No body to help or explain anything…forget nuances!! I guess you just need to pick the camera, go through the manual and start clicking! You will learn on the way 🙂
Loved the first click!!! I never used spring garlic in my food. Last year I planted some garlic pods, hope it will come this spring and I am looking forward to use it after seeing this post 🙂
Thank you Shibi 🙂
I hope you get to use your home grown spring garlic and make something interesting 🙂
Oh, this looks just divine! I’m making slow-cooker chicken tikka one night this week + this would be a great side dish for it!
Thank you Amy. I hope you like it as much as we did 🙂
I have never cooked with spring garlic… looks amazing. I love your pilaf…just hand me a big bowl and a spoon. 🙂
Anytime my friend. I wish I could tell you to come over right away 😀
What a lovely pilaf! I’m sure the spring onion adds so much fresh flavor!
Muy sabrosa es una exquisitez,abrazos.
Spring garlic, that is such a treat. Haven’t seen it here or used for ages.
The dish looks lovely and yummy.
Thanks Asha. I too saw it after ages and I couldn’t believe my luck!!
This is a beautiful and so aromatic pilaf! I have to check if spring garlic circulates here!
I love addind spring garlic to rice porridge or fried rice but never with basmati rice like this recipe before,
sounds tempting and irresistable!!!
Very flavorful pulao……… Lovely !
I discovered spring garlic only a couple of years ago, I wish I had earlier. it is the best. Your rice dish looks really fabulous.
Thanks Evelyne. I discovered it a decade ago but it is never so easily available. It is in fact seldom that one can find spring garlic.
What a delicious rice dish…so aromatic!
Thanks for the recipe and hope you are having a great week 😀
I can’t get over how gorgeous your photos are!
Thanks Christin…you are such a darling! Always so generous and encouraging with your words 🙂
I can have anything in pulao, and the mild fragrance of spring garlic tastes wonderful with spices.
Thank you so much everyone for your feedback and comments. I hope you are able to get your hands on the spring garlic and make something interesting with it this spring 🙂
This simple dish looks super delicious! Your photos make it more appetizing….
First time hearing about spring garlic! Chana dal and matar pulao, that’s a unique combination and looks yummy.
Oh I’m loving seeing all of these spring foods popping up! Hopefully that means winter is over. That spring garlic is gorgeous and I would have grab a bunch as well. What a great flavor and the pilaf you made is awesome! Can’t wait to see what you do with more spring beauties!
Don’t know why but I don’t see your post in blogger followers. No wonder I’ve missed your recipes. Rice? Mmmm!!! A big fan for anytime of the day and it has to be when we are the typical Asian. Nice veg version. Thanks for the recipe because at times I’m going mad trying to decide on what to cook on our meatless Saturdays. Is spring garlic the same as spring onions. For me, both appears the same.
Delicious as always! Wish we lived closer. Would have been over at your place often for meals!
hi smith, i was looking for dry potato and green garlic recipe but i got ur recipe of green pulao. really its amazing and mouth watering………… u shared ur experience about potato and green garlic sabzi …can u please share that recipe with us….. i am dying to make it and eat it . i never had ever in my life but heard so much about that. good luck.