Pilau rice recipe

Learn how to make classic pilau rice in just three simple steps.

Pilau rice is traditional Indian rice that is perfect paired with a variety of classic Indian curries like healthy chicken tikka (opens in new tab), chicken bhuna, or keema curry (opens in new tab). Its golden yellow colour is made by turmeric, a natural food colouring agent, which dyes the rice during the cooking process. Spiced with cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, this pilau rice really packs a punch of flavour. It’s so easy to replicate this takeaway favourite at home as it takes just 10 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 1tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1tbsp turmeric
• 250g basmati rice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks, broken

Method

1. Heat a large pan, which has a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle the cumin seeds over the base and cook for 30 secs, stirring well to toast them but taking care not to burn them. Tip out of the pan into a bowl.
2. Heat the ghee or oil in the pan. Add the onion and cook it over a medium heat for 5-7 mins, until it starts to soften. Crush the cumin seeds lightly with the cardamom pods. Add the cumin, cardamom, cloves and turmeric to the pan and cook for 1-2 mins.
3. Rinse the rice well and add to the pan, along with 450ml boiling water, the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and stir briefly just to mix. Bring the mixture to the boil, cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 12-15 mins, until the water is absorbed. Leave the rice in the pan but off the heat for a few mins before serving.

Watch how simple it is to make pilau rice 

Top tips for making pilau rice

If you want to give this classic pilau rice a twist you could add veg to the rice once cooked. Try our mushroom and spinach pilau rice combo or opt for cooked peas or roasted vegetables such as green beans, cauliflower, and carrot just like Gordon Ramsay's vegetable pilau rice. You could also add some more spice to this dish by stirring in a red chili or two when cooking.

How to store and reheat pilau rice

The rice may be prepared in advance. Store leftover pilau rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. You can freeze pilau rice easily too. Just make sure it is completely cooled and cooled quickly to room temperature before placing it into a freezable container or bag. You can freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot in the microwave on high heat.

Find out everything you need to know about cooking rice with our how to cook rice guide including how to prepare rice, how much rice per person, and how to store leftovers too.

Goes well with...

• Bombay potatoes (opens in new tab)
• Saag aloo (opens in new tab)
• Onion bhaji (opens in new tab)
• Peshwari naan (opens in new tab)