Homemade Pilau Rice

My fuss-free, homemade Pilau Rice, brings an authentic taste of an Indian takeaway to your home. Best of all, it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Serve with your favourite curry, for a delicious Indian feast.

We love a takeaway curry in this house, and pilau rice is ALWAYS requested from the kids. In an effort to save some money, I’ve developed this easy pilau rice recipe that you can make in the comfort of your own kitchen, bringing that authentic taste of your local Indian to your next curry night at home.

We often have an Indian night at the weekend, where I make a few different curries, including a creamy halloumi curry, keema matar (beef and pea curry), a vegan chickpea and spinach curry, homemade naan breads and also this tasty pilau rice. Mango chutney is also a must!

Jump to:

• How does it get its colour?
• 🍴 Serving suggestions
• 🧊 Suitable for freezing?
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🥄 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 😋Related recipes
• Recipe

How does it get its colour?

Pilua rice’s gorgeous yellowy colour comes from using turmeric (or sometimes saffron). It’s also flavoured with other spices, including cardamom, cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaves.

🍴 Serving suggestions

Curry and pilau rice go hand in hand, so I often serve my homemade ‘yellow rice’, as the kids call it, with a mildly spiced chicken curry and also a spicier vegetarian curry like my halloumi curry or sweet potato and lentil curry.

If I have time, I also make homemade naan breads, which are really simple and cheap to make (but like most other people I often end up buying them)!

🧊 Suitable for freezing?

Yes you can! If I have any leftovers, I pop them into microwaveable tubs with lids and stash them away in my freezer.

You can reheat pilau rice straight from frozen, in the microwaveable tubs. Just make sure the rice is hot all the way through before serving. I usually give it a shake in the tub and pop it back in the microwave for a few more minutes, to ensure it reaches an even temperature throughout.

For a side dish that is so tasty, it really is very simple to make.

🥘 Ingredients

• Basmati rice
• Vegetable oil
• Turmeric
• Cumin Seeds
• Cardamom pods
• Cinnamon stick
• Cloves
• Bay leaf
• Vegetable stock

🥄 Equipment

A large lidded pan is needed to make the rice. You will also need a heat resistant jug for the vegetable stock

🔪 Instructions

• Firstly, crack the cardamom pods and gently fry the cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds and turmeric in the vegetable oil for 1 minute, to release their flavours.
• Add the rice and coat in the spices.
• Pour over the stock and pop in the bay, cinnamon and season with salt. Bring to a simmer then put a lid on the pan and turn down the heat to low.
• Let it cook for 25 minutes. When it’s ready, take the lid off and fluff up the rice with a fork before serving.

😋Related recipes

Some delicious curry recipes that could be served with the pilau rice;

• Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken Curry
• Easy Aubergine (Eggplant) Balti
• Cauliflower and Lentil Curry
• Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Recipe

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