Pilau Rice Recipe
A great alternative to regular boiled or steamed rice, this pilau rice uses whole spices and fried onions to create a flavourful side dish that's vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- Small cinnamon stick (approx. 2 inches, or ½ teaspoon ground)
- 1½ teaspoons turmeric
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 cardamom pods
- 2 cups (360 g) dried basmati rice
- 3½ cups (840 ml) boiled water or vegan stock (see recipe notes for getting the ratio just right)
Instructions
- Using a large pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil on a low-medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 7-8 minutes or until starting to turn soft and translucent, but not brown.
- Once the onion is soft, add the cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, turmeric, bay leaves, and salt. Bash the cardamom pods gently with the side of a knife and add these to the pan. Mix everything well and cook for another 2 minutes.
- After 2 minutes, add the rice to the pan. Stir well for a minute or so to coat each grain in the mix of oil, onions, and spices.
- Next, add the boiling water or vegan stock. Stir everything once, bring back to the boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 12 minutes.Top tip: Cut a piece of aluminium cooking foil to sit in between the pan and the lid. This creates an even tighter seal and helps to steam the rice more thoroughly. Once the lid is on, use a cloth or oven glove to fold the foil that's sticking out down onto the sides of the pan (see photo in main post above).
- After 12 minutes, the water should all be absorbed. To make sure, you can carefully remove the lid and quickly check (watch out for hot steam escaping). With the water all absorbed, remove from the heat, place the lid back on the pan, and leave to stand for another 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove the lid and discard any whole spices (or just remind people not to eat these). Use a fork to gently fluff up the rice grains and serve with your favourite curry. If you're looking for inspiration, check out my recipes for spicy tofu jalfrezi, rajma masala, and chana masala.
Notes
Rice/water ratio: If you don't have standard US measuring cups (240 ml volume), you can literally use a teacup or mug from your cupboard. These may work out slightly larger, but you can always store leftovers in the fridge or freezer. As long as you use the same vessel, the golden ratio for this recipe is 2 level cups rice to 3½ level cups boiled water or stock.
Rice variety: The best rice to use is dried white basmati rice (not brown rice or an 'easy-cook' variety).
Rinsing the rice: Shop-bought rice has usually been rinsed or cleaned before packing, but there's no harm in rinsing it again to remove any excess starch.
Other ingredients: Try adding in other ingredients such as green peas, mushrooms, or raisins.
More aromatics: This recipe is fairly mild so as to not overpower the curry you serve it with, but feel free to add chopped garlic and ginger to the softened onions.
Larger batches: If you scale up the amounts, note that the cooking time may need to increase slightly.
Gluten-free: To ensure that this is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock that is certified or labelled as such (or just use boiling water).
Storage: Store this rice in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days or freezer for up to one month. Store as soon as it has cooled down and don't leave it out at room temperature for too long. Don't reheat more than once.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
- Vegan Chickpea Biryani
- Moroccan Couscous with Chickpeas and Roasted Veg
- Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin Seeds
- Cajun-Spiced Potato Wedges
- Crispy Smoky Roasted Chickpeas
- Vegan Rice Paper Rolls
- Mushroom Biryani with Lentils
Nutrition
Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 206mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Facts
Pilau Rice Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 303
Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 206mg9%
Potassium 140mg4%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 8IU0%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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