Indian restaurant–style pilau rice with a mild, aromatic flavour takes only about five minutes longer to make than plain boiled rice. Brighten up homemade curries with this simple recipe for vibrant yellow pilau rice.
“Love this recipe, have done it four times now and if you want just plain rice just skip the spices. Comes out perfectly every time 😃”
– Lynne Kerner
Nicky’s Notes
The yellow colour of this rice is so vivid that photographing it can be tricky. I tried dark, light and blue backdrops to capture how it looks with different curries. Photography frustrations aside, the rice tastes wonderful and is always worth the effort.
I love its gentle aromatic flavour. It’s quick and easy to make, and it adds something special to curry night.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 What do we need?
- 🔪 How to make Pilau Rice
- Pro Tip
- 🍛 Serving Suggestions
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Pilau Rice Recipe
- More Indian-style side dishes
📋 What do we need?
This recipe uses basmati rice for the best texture and aroma, but long-grain white rice can be used instead. Use white rice — brown rice takes longer to cook and won’t achieve the same bright yellow colour. Avoid easy-cook rice if you want fluffy, separate grains.
🔪 How to make Pilau Rice
Full recipe and exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Heat a little oil and butter in a saucepan and soften a finely diced small onion over medium heat until translucent.
- Add the spices — cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves and turmeric — plus two bay leaves, and stir for about a minute to release their aroma.
- Stir in the uncooked rice so the grains are coated in the spiced butter and oil.
- Pour in boiling water, give it a single stir, bring briefly back to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook gently for 20 minutes.
When the rice has finished cooking, turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for a few minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve. Discard the cardamom pods and bay leaves before serving if you like.
Pro Tip
Thread the cardamom pods onto a short length of undyed cotton before adding them to the pan. That way you can easily find and remove them once the rice is cooked.
🍛 Serving Suggestions
This pilau rice pairs beautifully with a wide range of Indian dishes. Try it with classic or lighter curries, or serve it alongside a stir-fried jalfrezi and warm flatbreads for a complete meal.
- Chicken Madras or an easy chicken curry
- Slow-cooked Rogan Josh or a beef Massaman for richer meals
- Chicken Tikka Masala or tangy Dhansak for classic favourites
- Serve with chapati or naan for a fuller spread
📺 Watch how to make it
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Pilau Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 cardamom pods (*see tip)
- 6 cloves
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 300 g (1 1/3 cups) dried basmati rice
- 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) boiling water
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a pan until the butter melts.
- Add the onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, turmeric and bay leaves. Stir for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the rice so each grain is coated. Pour in the boiling water, stir once and bring briefly back to the boil.
- Cover the pan and turn the heat to very low (lowest setting on gas, or about 5/10 on induction). Cook for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a few minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve. Discard cardamom pods and bay leaves if desired.
Video
Notes
Cardamom pod tip
Thread cardamom pods onto a short length of undyed cotton so you can easily remove them after cooking. I keep a needle and cotton in my cardamom jar for this purpose.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cook the rice, spread it out in a large tray so it cools quickly, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature — bacteria can grow rapidly. Refrigerate as soon as possible, don’t store for more than 24 hours, and reheat thoroughly.
Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool the rice quickly, transfer to a covered container and freeze once it reaches room temperature. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly.
Nutritional information is per serving (recipe serves 4).
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 66 g |
Protein: 6 g |
Fat: 4 g |
Saturated Fat: 2 g |
Cholesterol: 5 mg |
Sodium: 32 mg |
Fiber: 3 g |
Sugar: 1 g
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide only.
This pilau rice recipe was first posted in Oct 2020 and has been updated with improvements and housekeeping edits.
More Indian-style side dishes
Sides
Dal Makhani Recipe
Breads
Chapati Recipe
Street Food
Chicken Pakora Recipe
Appetizers
Onion Bhaji
Sides
Onion Fried Rice
Breads
Homemade Peshwari Naan Recipe
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