URAD VADI PULAO / VARYUN JO PULAO

Vadis are sun dried lentil cakes like mangodis. Sindhi vadis are made with urad dal.  We can use them to make curries along with other vegetables. Varyun jo Pulao is a very traditional Sindhi rice preparation. with urad dal vadis.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice ... 2 cups (or as needed)
Vadis ............  6-7
Onions ........ 2 (sliced)
Ginger ....... 1 tsp  (grated)
Garlic ....... 1 tsp (crushed)
Tomato .... 1
Green chillies ... 2-3
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder ... 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp

Whole Spices for Pulao:
Green cardamoms ... 3-4
Cinnamon stick ..... 1 inch piece
Bay leaf ............. 1-2
Aniseeds / saunf ... 1 tsp
Cloves ... 3-4
Black pepper corns ... few
Cumin seeds ..... 1 tsp

For tempering:
Kummel seeds or Shahjeera ... 1 tsp
Oil ... as needed

Method:
1. Heat about 2 tbsps oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown in colour.
2. Add the ginger garlic, green chillies and tomato with one cup water and simmer to cook.
3. Mash the cooked onions using a masher or hand grinder.
4. In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsps of oil saute the urad vadis turning them to fry uniformly.
5. Add half the quantity of the fried and mashed onion paste. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Add 2 cups water and pressure cook the vadis. These vadis take longer to cook so I use the pressure cooker.
6. Let out the steam and open to check if the vadis are done.
7. Wash and soak the rice.
8. In a heavy bottomed pan heat 2 tbsps oil and add the whole spices mentioned in the list. If you want you can crush them lightly before adding.
9. Add the remaining onion paste and saute. Add salt.
10. If there is any gravy in the vadis then remove the vadis and use the gravy also for the pulao.
11. Add double measure of water ( including the gravy taken from vadis)
12. add the rice to  it and once it starts to boil, reduce the flame and cook until 3/4 th dome.
13. Now carefully mix the vadis.
14. Heat a liitle oil. Sprinkle the kummel seeds on top of the rice and pour hot oil over it.
15. Keep it for dum with the lid covered tightly preferably the pot should be kept on a griddle (low flame) for 3-5 minutes.
Serve it carefully not breaking up the vadis too much.

I have served it with Sindhi chana dal cooked with potato and lotus stem ..  You can check out the recipe - HERE