Easy Pilau Rice Recipe with basmati rice, saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and cloves, a beautifully fragrant side dish that is the perfect accompaniment to any Indian or Middle Eastern feast. It's incredibly easy and quick to make, and it can rival any restaurant or take away pilau rice.
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What is pilau rice?
Pilau rice or Pilaf Rice ( other spellings can include Pulao, Pulav, Plov) is a sample dish in Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East, and it has thousands of variations across different areas.
It it's basic form, pilau rice is made with rice, usually basmati rice, as its grains stay light, fluffy and separated, but long grain rice can be used too, spices, water or broth.
Beautifully spiced and big on flavours, pilau rice goes wonderfully well with any curry, either meat, fish or veggie based, making it a must-have side dish for the whole family - and I have a compilation of delicious Indian Curry Recipes that can be enjoyed with this rice.
But my favourite curry recipe ever, which goes perfectly well with this pilaf rice is my Chicken Masala, which is a fabulous Indian curry recipe full of flavour.
Ingredients needed
- basmati rice - it's always my first choice when I think of a side dish to go with a curry, it it's excellent for making pilaf rice
- butter - for frying the onion, it also adds a lovely touch to the dish
- salt and pepper
- spices: cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves
- saffron
Variations
Saffron is a wonderful spice for this rice dish, it adds flavour and a beautiful colour, making this "yellow rice" a favourite with kids too - rather than it being spicy, it's just spiced and delicious.
But saffron can be pretty expensive and sometimes hard to find, an a good alternative to it is ground turmeric. Just add a teaspoon of turmeric at the same time you add the other spices, and the rice will get a gorgeous deep yellow colour.
I used water for this saffron rice, but vegetable or chicken stock/broth are a great substitute, adding even more flavour.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- In a pot, melt the butter, add the peeled and chopped onion, and fry on a low to medium heat until golden
- Add the salt and spices, and leave give everything a good stir
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then add it to the pan, mixing well
- Pour in the water, place a lid on the pot, and leave it to cook until all the water is evaporated
- Remove the pot from the heat, but still keep the lid on for 5 minutes - the rice will fluff up beautifully
Expert tips
It might look like there is not enough liquid to the amount of rice used, but it's actually the right amount to make light and perfectly fluffy rice that has the grains nicely separated after cooking.
Too much water will make the rice sticky and mushy, and more like a risotto, than a pilau rice. I used this rice: water ration for my plain basmati rice recipe and it always comes out perfect.
Always rinse the rice very well until the water runs clear, otherwise the starchy water will turn the rice to mush too.
You can add any dried fruit or nuts to this saffron rice too, there are many variations that include them, and it can only be so delicious!
Other rice side dishes
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Easy Pilau Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g basmati rice ( 1.35 cup)
- 475 ml water (2 cups)
- 1 small onion
- 25 g butter ( 1 oz)
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
Instructions
- Peel and chop the onion finely.
- In a pot set over a low to medium heat, melt the butter, add the onion, and fry it until golden.
- Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves, saffron, salt and peppercorns, and give everything a good stir.
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Add the rice to the pan, pour over the water, and place a lid on the pot.
- Cook it until all the water is evaporated.
- Remove the pot from the heat, but still keep the lid on for 5 minutes so that the rice can fluff up nicely.
Video
Notes
- It might look like there is not enough liquid to the amount of rice used, but it's actually the right amount to make light and perfectly fluffy rice that has the grains nicely separated after cooking.
- Too much water will make the rice sticky and mushy, and more like a risotto, than a pilau rice. I used this rice: water ration for my plain basmati rice recipe and it always comes out perfect.
- Always rinse the rice very well until the water runs clear, otherwise the starchy water will turn the rice to mush too.
- You can add any dried fruit or nuts to this saffron rice too, there are many variations that include them, and it can only be so delicious!
Nutrition
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