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    Home > Sides

    Pilau Rice Recipe

    Published: Oct 8, 2020 · Modified: Oct 18, 2020 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe

    Indian restaurant-style pilau rice, with a mild aromatic flavour, only takes 5 minutes longer to make than regular boiled rice.
    Pep up that homemade curry with this easy recipe for vibrant yellow pilau rice.

    Pilau rice in a black bowl on a dark surface with ingredients scattered around

    The yellow colour of this rice is so bright that I find it almost impossible to photograph!
    You can see I've gone for a dark set-up above, a light set-up further down the post and a blue colour scheme with the curry at the end.
    A highly frustrating photoshoot (and I'm still not happy with the pics).

    It's a good job I get to eat it at the end. Food always calms me down 😋

    I love the gentle aromatic flavour of this vibrant rice. Super easy to make, but it adds a little something special to the dinner table on curry night.

    Jump to:
    • 📋 What do we need?
    • 🔪 How to make Pilau Rice
    • 🍛 Serving Suggestions
    • 🍽️ More fantastic Indian-style side dishes
    • 📺 Watch how to make it
    • Pilau Rice Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews


    📋 What do we need?

    I'm using basmati rice for this, but you can replace with long-grain white rice if you like.
    Be sure to use white rice (brown rice takes longer to cook and you won't get the same yellow colour). Also, don't use easy-cook rice - or you won't get that nice fluffy rice texture.

    Ingredients for Pilau rice on a wooden table

    🔪 How to make Pilau Rice

    **Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.**

    • Soften chopped onion in a saucepan with a little oil and butter.
    • Stir in those lovely spices (I'm using cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves and turmeric), plus a couple of bay leaves before adding the uncooked rice.
    • Add boiling water to the pan, then stir, cover and cook on a VERY LOW heat for 20 minutes.
    6 image collage showing how to make Pilau rice

    Remove the lid, fluff up the rice and serve.

    Pilau rice in a white bowl on a light background. Flatbreads and plate of curry just in frame

    🍛 Serving Suggestions

    I've got so many curry recipes on the site! Try some of these:

    • Chicken Madras
    • Easy Chicken Curry
    • Slow-cooked spicy Chicken Rogan Josh
    • Classic Chicken Tikka Masala
    • Tangy Chicken Dhansak
    • Lighter spicy Slow Cooker Beef Curry
    • Fall-apart Massaman Beef Curry

    Or how about served up with this chicken jalfrezi and my homemade chapati...

    Pilau rice with chicken jalfrezi in a blue bowl on a blue background. Further dishes scattered around.

    🍽️ More fantastic Indian-style side dishes

    • Homemade Chapati
    • Spicy Lamb Samosa Cups
    • Crispy Chicken Pakora
    • Saag Aloo (from this beef kofta recipe)

    📺 Watch how to make it

    Stay updated with new recipes!
    Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

    Square image of Pilau rice in a black bowl on a dark surface

    Pilau Rice Recipe

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    This Indian restaurant style pilau rice, with a mild aromatic flavour, only takes 5 minutes longer to make than regular boiled rice.
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course side dish
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4
    Calories 326 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tsp vegetable oil
    • 2 tsp unsalted butter
    • 1 small onion - - peeled and finely diced
    • ½ tsp cumin seeds
    • 6 cardamom pods - (*see tip)
    • 6 cloves
    • 2 tsp turmeric
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) dried basmati rice
    • 600 ml (2 ½ cups) boiling water

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Heat the oil and butter in a pan until the butter melts.
    • Add the onion and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.
    • Add in the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, turmeric and bay leaves. Heat through, whilst stirring for a further minute.
    • Add the rice and stir to coat in the spices.
    • Add the boiling water, stir once and bring back to the boil, then place a lid on the pan and turn the heat down to very low (I use the lowest heat if cooking on gas, or setting 5 (of 10) for induction). Cook for 20 minutes.
    • Once cooked, turn the heat off. Leave the lid for a few minutes, then remove the lid, fluff the rice using a fork and serve. You can discard the cardamom and bay leaves.

    Video

    ✎ Notes

    Cardamom pod tip
    Sew the cardamom pods together using a small length of un-dyed thread. This makes it SO much easier to find them and fish them out at the end (I always have a needles threaded with a little cotton stored in my cardamom jar).
    Can I make it ahead?
    Yes! Cook the rice, then spread it out in a large dish or tray (so it will cool quickly) cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Don't leave cooked rice out at room temperature. Bacteria can grow on cooked rice very quickly, so it's important to:
    • Refrigerate it as quickly as possible
    • Don't store for more than 24 hours in the fridge, and
    • Thoroughly reheat it.
    You can reheat the rice in the microwave until piping hot.
    Can I freeze it?
    Yes - as per the instructions above - don't leave cooked rice out at room temperature, as bacteria can grow on cooked rice quickly.
    • Spread the rice out it out in a large dish or tray to quickly cool, then transfer to a covered container.
    • Freeze it as soon as it reaches room temperature.
    • Defrost in the refrigerator overnight 
    • Thoroughly reheat it in the microwave.
    Nutritional information is per serving (this recipe serves 4).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 32mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg
    Keywords Fakeaway, fragrant rice, Resteraunt Style, rice, Takeaway food at home
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

    Read More
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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Lesley says

      January 07, 2023 at 8:04 pm

      5 stars
      Made this with the slow cooker chicken curry. Was perfect just like a takeaway.

      Reply
    2. Linz says

      November 26, 2021 at 4:58 pm

      Hi this is a great recipe. Would I just double up the ingredients if I was to make a bigger batch? And what would the rice ratio be?
      Thanks

      Reply
    3. june says

      November 05, 2021 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      Terrific easy pilau recipe- very authentic- thank you so much for sharing this 🙂

      Reply
    4. Serena Davis says

      September 08, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      3 stars
      Nice flavours however needs salt

      Reply
    5. Debbie says

      August 30, 2021 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      I made this with a classic Indian chicken curry (murgh kari) and it turned out so good! Was easy to make as well. Nice to know I can make this from home! Mine was ready in 10 minutes as I noticed another commenter say the same.

      Reply
    6. Darren Geary says

      June 10, 2021 at 5:31 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect for me. I only use half of the cardamon and cloves though.

      Reply
    7. Olivia says

      April 16, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      5 stars
      So easy to make and really tasty. I had pilau rice with a takeaway recently and it was nowhere near as tasty as this recipe 😋

      Reply
    8. Ally says

      March 01, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      No water left after 10min of cooking but the rice was already done, definitely doesn't need 20mins. Lovely flavours just needs salt.

      Reply
    9. Donna Frame says

      January 31, 2021 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      We made your pilau rice and chicken jafrezi last night. Absolutely gorgeous recipes and easy to follow too 😁👍 will be trying another one next week. We will be DEFINATELY recommending your recipes to our friends

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        February 01, 2021 at 12:03 pm

        Thank you Donna 🙂

        Reply
    10. Kath says

      October 20, 2020 at 8:57 am

      5 stars
      Hubby had been asking me to make pilau rice instead of plain boiled rice to with our curry and your recipe did not disappoint. Thank you so much for this recipe😋

      Reply

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