Vegetable Bagara Rice is a quick, aromatic and flavorful one-pot rice dish from Hyderabadi cuisine. Colorful vegetables and fragrant Basmati rice cooked in a simple tempering of whole spices and herbs together and comes in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients. It is a vegetarian, gluten-free, and can be easily made vegan! This is a real feast for any day!

Bagara rice is our family’s all time favorite dish. We like it most with my Rich Mixed veg Gravy curry. This one pot rice dish is made for special occasions like weddings and festivals. You can even make it for your everyday meals. This rice goes well with a side of any gravy curry.

Variations

• Bagara means tempering. The traditional bagara rice is made completely with ghee and without using any vegetables or masala powders. You can make it healthy, colorful and wholesome by adding veggies like carrots, green beans, peas, potato, cauliflower, etc. I used to add just peas to make it a little colorful but then I started adding a few carrot pieces or frozen mixed vegetables.
• When it comes to ghee, I use a combination of ghee/clarified butter and oil. It can be made completely with oil. It is completely up to you and the availability.
• Sautéed paneer or tofu can be added at the end for protein.(if you are serving the rice as is without any side)

How to make it vegan?

Vegans can avoid the ghee and just make this rice with olive oil or coconut oil, it tastes grate with either choice.

How can you make it rich and tasty?

• One more addition I like to have in this recipe is coconut milk. I like to swap a part of water with coconut milk (just replace 1 cup of water with coconut milk). Coconut milk gives a nice taste and flavor to this dish.
• If you don’t have coconut milk, you can also use little fresh cream or whole milk.

How can I cook this Rice?

• This recipe is traditionally made on the stovetop cooking rice in a kadai or pot. Sometimes it could be time-consuming. If you are in a rush, pressure cook for 2 whistles.
• You can also cook in a rice cooker or instant pot. Basmati rice cooks faster than other rice varieties. So I think it doesn’t matter which method you use to cook this rice.

How to serve?

• Bagara Rice is also very delicious on its own. So if you are in the mood to eat something simple, have it with raita on the side.
• It is popularly served with non-vegetarian dishes. Vegetarian dishes like Mixed veg gravy curry, Bagara Baingan, Palak Paneer, Mirchi Ka Salan or Tomato Salan are some other options that go very well with it.
• Bagara Rice is a versatile recipe that tastes great with any dish. Be it a Dal, Curry, or Kadhi, this will go with it.

Storage Suggestions

• Bagara Rice stays good in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days.
• Reheat it in a pan or in a microwave before serving. If you feel it has become a little dry, sprinkle some water on top, while reheating.

Here is how to make it in a pressure cooker, same process can be followed to cook in an instant pot or rice cooker or stove top. But adjust the water quantity with Instant pot and stove top.

This Hyderabadi bagara rice recipe can be easily scaled up or down as per your requirement.

If you’ve tried this Vegetable Bagara Rice recipe or any other recipe on Siri’s Food Lab, then don’t forget to rate, like and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Step by step photo instructions

1. Heat 3-4 tbsp ghee and 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker or instant pot vessel.
2. Add and saúte 2″ cinnamon, 4 cloves, 3 cardamoms, 1 tsp shah jeera, 1 bay leaf.

3. Now add 1 big thinly sliced onion and saúte well.

4. Add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell gone.

5. Add 3-4 green chillies.

6. When the onion turn golden brown, add mint and coriander leaves. saúte until it turns aromatic.

7. Now add 1 sm diced carrot and 1/4 cup green peas and saúte for 2 mins. You may also add beans.

8. Keeping the flame on low, add 3 cups soaked basmati rice and saúte for 2 minutes without breaking rice.

9. Add 3.5 cups water and 1 cup coconut milk (or whole milk or fresh cream), 2.5 tsp salt. Mix well. Adjust salt by tasting water.

10. Cover the lid and cook till the cooked howls 2 whistles. Then turn off the flame.

11. Wait 15 minutes before opening the lid and mix the rice to set and absorb the water.

12. After 15 minutes, fluff off the rice gently and mix carefully.

13. Bagara rice is ready to serve as is or serve it with any gravy curry. You can serve with Rich Mixed Veg Gravy Curry or mirchi ka salan or any paneer gravy curry.

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