THIS Is The Best Ready To Eat Vegetable Pulao in India

Pulao is more than just a meal in Indian homes. It is an emotion wrapped in a one-pot dish, something you can categorize under comfort food. While most of us have access to the fresh, homemade versions, a few reasons why one would opt for packaged pulao include travel, convenience, or lack of skills perhaps.

We picked and reviewed 4 popular RTE vegetable pulao brands- MTR, Haldiram’s, ITC Kitchen Of India and Gits.  After a taste test, we chose MTR as our Top Pick. But what made it stand out? In our Best Ready To Eat Veg Pulao review, we’ll look at the findings in detail.

Quick view at the contenders for our review : 

What were we looking for? We expect these RTE pulao to have a fresh taste, balanced salt levels, pleasing aroma and warming flavor of the spices. Moreover, these should be convenient to heat and eat. 

To test all the RTE vegetable pulao brands, we set the following review parameters :  

1. Taste

The top aspects we gauged under this parameter are – the salt levels, the spiciness, and the flavor of fat. Did the flavor of fat dominate? Is the overall seasoning balanced or did one spice overpower the other? 

As a whole, how is the flavor of the pulao? Do the vegetables taste fresh?

2. Texture 

The following questions were evaluated under this heading : 

• How is the bite of the vegetables? 
• Were the rice grains sticky or well-separated and khila-khila?
• Ratio of rice and vegetables.

3. Other Parameters  

Appearance 

In terms of the appearance, we focus on : How vibrant and fresh-looking are the vegetables? What is the size of the rice grains? Long, short or mixed? 

Convenience 

RTE meals are a convenient option when you do not have access to fresh homemade meals. As these are heat and eat meals, convenience was a review factor taken in consideration. 

Price Comparison 

Are these RTE vegetable pulao brands priced competitively?

Here’s a quick first impressions review on ITC Kitchens of India Vegetable Pulao.

To standardize the process, we followed the same method for heating all four pulao brands. We opted for the hot water immersion method. 

NOTE : Each brand offers two to three methods for heating which are detailed below. 

In this section, we have discussed in detail our experience in terms of the – packaging, price, taste, convenience and texture for each contender. 

Our Experience 

This veg pulao has a mix of long and short grains. We really liked the texture as the pulao was khila khila and did not stick to each other.

The pulao has a pleasant and fresh aroma of cardamom. Seasoning wise, the salt levels are balanced. All in all, we liked the overall taste.

The texture of the veggies was the only aspect we felt could be improved.

Product Details 

One pack holds 250 gm of the product and is priced at Rs. 125. It is packed in a yellow and blue color carton. The shelf life is 1 year. A 250 gm pack is sufficient for two people with a medium appetite provided you combine it with a sabzi, salad or curd.  

The main ingredients are : Water, Basmati Rice (15%), Carrot (5%), Beans (5%), Frozen green peas (5%), Onion, Refined sunflower oil (2.7%) (out of which 1.8% is spice seasoned oil), Garlic paste, Ginger paste, Iodised salt, Lemon juice and Artificial (pulao) flavoring substance.

There are no added preservatives or added colors. 

Heating Method : 3

• Immersion 
• Microwave
• Heat the rice on stove directly

Our Experience 

All in all Haldiram’s Vegetable Pulao has homestyle flavors. It has a decent and fresh taste. A good thing here is despite the abundance of masalas, it does not dominate the overall taste. 

This pulao is loaded with vegetables and has a decent texture. The rice is yellow in color. We like the texture of the rice. These are long and well-separated.

Comparatively, the quality of rice and the overall flavors were better in MTR, which is why this did not win.

Product Details 

Packed in a off-white and green pack, the RTE pulao is placed in a pouch inside. The price of a 200 gm pack is Rs. 80. It has a shelf life of 1 year. 

Here are the main ingredients list : Cooked basmati rice (55%), Peas (10%), French beans (10%),  Carrot (10%), Refined vegetable oil (cottonseed), Iodised salt, Cumin, Coriander powder, Chilli powder, Cardamom small, Cardamom big, Turmeric powder, Clove, Cinnamon, Mace and Bay leaves. 

Heating Method : 3

• Immersion 
• Microwave
• Heat the rice on stove directly

Our Experience 

This RTE pulao looks quite homestyle and has fresh tasting veggies. The texture of the corn is nice, plump and juicy. The reason this did not win was because of the texture of the rice and overall flavors. Our Top Pick showcased a better, fresher flavor profile.

Product Details 

The outer packaging has an orange and yellow hue. Inside the pack, the pulao is securely placed in a pouch. A single pack holds 250 gm and is priced at Rs. 135 and has a shelf life of 18 months. 

The main ingredients : Cooked rice (53.1% – Water, Rice), Green peas (85), Tomato (6.8%), Onion (6.6%), Carrot (6.5%), Bean (5.2%), Refined sunflower oil, Sweet corn (4.4%), Coriander leaves (1.4%), Iodised salt, Green chilli (0.8%), Lemon juice (0.6%), Garlic (0.5%), Cumin seeds (0.3%), Spices and condiments (0.1%) and Clove (0.01%). 

Heating Method : 2

• Immersion 
• Microwave

Our Experience 

Gits Vegetable Pulao was a total letdown. It was the least tasty of the bunch. The flavor of fat is pretty noticeable here. As a result, it tastes stale and industrial. 

Coming to the overall texture of the different elements. The vegetables have an average texture; the potatoes are chalky, and the kaju lacks freshness. The texture of the rice is a saving grace.

Product Details 

It bags a green and blue color outer pack. The pulao is securely placed in a pouch inside. Gits RTE vegetable pulao is priced at Rs. 145 for 256 gm net quantity. It has a shelf life of 1 year.  

The list of the main ingredients includes – Vegetables (Potato, Carrot, Onion, Dry peas, Tomato – 29%), Water, basmati rice (25%) Milk, Coconut, Sunflower oil, Ginger, Baker shortening (palm oil, sesame oil and antioxidant (BHA)), Garlic, Salt, Cashew nuts, Green chili, Mint, Coriander leaves, Spices and condiments.

Heating Method : 2

• Immersion 
• Microwave

Related Read : Here’s our detailed review on MTR Ready To Eat Vegetable Pulao.

Why did we pick  MTR Veg Pulao as our Top Pick? 

Mirror, Mirror on the wall.

Who’s the tastiest of them all?

MTR Vegetable pulao was our Top Pick as this had the best taste compared to the other brands. It is a fresh tasting RTE pulao with balanced salt levels, khila-khila rice, and fresh aroma of cardamom. The only aspect that the brand needs to focus on is the texture of the veggies. We felt there is room for improvement here. 

Why did Haldiram’s & ITC Kitchens Of India not win? The RTE Vegetable Pulao by Haldiram’s & ITC Kitchens of India are decent tasting rice meals. However, in a comparative analysis, MTR Veg Pulao was far better in terms of taste and texture. Hence the result.

Here are some interesting FAQs on Best Ready to Eat Veg Pulao.

In conclusion, we chose MTR Ready To Eat Vegetable Pulao as our Top Pick. From the flavors to the texture of the rice, this was the best amongst all of the four brands we tested. Haldiram’s and ITC Kitchens of India were also decent tasting rice meals. 

Pulao or Biryani? Which is your favorite rice dish?

Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.