How to cook… Pilau Rice
Serves 4
Pilau Rice is go-to order for most people as an accompaniment for their curry. It’s easy to make restaurant-style rice by adding some onions and spices to the rice. It’s nice topped off with some browned, fried onions.
What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 300g basmati rice
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
Whole Spice Mix
• 3 cm long piece of cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 cardamom seeds, cracked but still kept intact
• 2 bay leaves
Curry on Cooking Masala Dabba Indian Spice Tin
from Curry on Cooking, Derbyshire and Spain
FREE UK P&P
Includes stainless steel masala dabba containing:
• 1 outer tin
• 1 see-through airtight lid
• 7 smaller spice containers inside the masala dabba Indian spice tin
• 1 spice spoon
How you make it…
1. Wash the rice to remove the starch, then leave to soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until it starts to brown (about 3-5 minutes). Remove and set aside a few of the darker pieces to use as garnish.
3. Add in the Whole Spice Mix until the spices release their aromas (about 30 seconds). Make sure they do not burn.
4. Add 300ml water to the pan, cover the pan and bring to the boil. * Be extremely careful when adding the water to the pan with the hot oil.
5. Add the rice and stir. Simmer until the rice is half-cooked and the water has almost evaporated (about 4-5 minutes).
6. Gently fluff up the rice with a fork, cover with lid and allow it to steam in the pan on the lowest heat possible until fully cooked (a few minutes). Be careful not to let it burn.
7. Garnish with the fried onion and serve.
You can remove the whole spices if you want but it’s leaving them in adds to the appearance of the rice.
If you like this you should try our…
Don’t hurry this dish. It’s not a rice to the finish.
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Feet Curry (Africa)
Cooking Gear
A range of cooking equipment including masala dabbas, chapati pans and aprons