Easy Indian Rice (Indian Pilau Rice)
Simple Indian-style pilau rice flavored with whole spices, turmeric and caramelized onions.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cupsbasmati rice
- 8 cupsboiling water
- 1 tablespoonsalt Note 1
- 1 teaspoonturmeric
- 2 cloves
- 3 cardamom podslightly crushed Note 2
- 2 inchcinnamon stick
- 2 onions Note 3
- 3 tablespoonvegetable oil
- 1 tablespoonbutter
- 1/2 teaspoonblack mustard seeds
Instructions
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups basmati rice under cold running water at least three times, until the water runs much clearer. Place the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 30–60 minutes. After soaking, drain and set aside.
- Peel and slice 2 onions into thin half-moons.
- Slightly crush 3 cardamom pods so the seeds are exposed but the pod remains mostly intact.
- In a large skillet or frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat until the butter melts.
- Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are beginning to caramelize.
- When the onions are soft and starting to caramelize, add ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds and stir gently until the seeds begin to pop (a few seconds).
- While the onions are cooking, bring 8 cups water to a vigorous boil in a large saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 2 cloves, the slightly crushed 3 cardamom pods, and the 2-inch cinnamon stick. Stir to dissolve the salt.
- Add the drained rice to the boiling seasoned water, stir gently once to separate, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook for 6–12 minutes until the rice is just cooked through but there is still a lot of water in the pan.
- Drain the rice in a sieve or fine-holed colander, removing and discarding (or setting aside) the whole spices (cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick). Set the drained rice aside until the onions are fully caramelized.
- Add the drained rice to the onion and mustard-seed mixture in the skillet. Gently stir to combine, breaking up any clumps and mixing the rice evenly with the onions.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if required. Serve hot.
Equipment
- Bowl
- Large Saucepan
- Large skillet or frying pan
- sieve or fine-holed colander
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Notes
If you are not soaking the rice then add only 2 teaspoons of salt to the water.
If you can't find cardamon pods, just leave them out.
Any onions will work here, I usually use brown onions, but red or white onions will work too.
I know it is an extra step, but I really do recommend rinsing the rice and then letting it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. It makes the rice so fluffy and keeps every grain separate. It also means the rice cooks more quickly and evenly.How to rinse rice:Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to turn the rice over in the bowl, be gentle as you don't want to break the grains. Carefully drain the water away and repeat this process twice more. Once you have rinsed the rice three times, use a fine-mesh sieve to drain the rice. To ensure you have washed away as much starch as possible, place the sieve under the flow of running water for 10-15 seconds. Leave the rice to drain dry.
How to rinse rice:Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to turn the rice over in the bowl, be gentle as you don't want to break the grains. Carefully drain the water away and repeat this process twice more. Once you have rinsed the rice three times, use a fine-mesh sieve to drain the rice. To ensure you have washed away as much starch as possible, place the sieve under the flow of running water for 10-15 seconds. Leave the rice to drain dry.
The cook time on the rice depends very much on the brand you have bought. Check your rice periodically through the cook time to see when it is just tender.
It is important to drain the rice immediately to remove the excess boiling water. This stops the final dish being water logged and leaves you with fluffy rice. You want to use a sieve or fine mesh colander to drain the rice so that all the water is removed.
If you can't find cardamon pods, just leave them out.
Any onions will work here, I usually use brown onions, but red or white onions will work too.
I know it is an extra step, but I really do recommend rinsing the rice and then letting it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. It makes the rice so fluffy and keeps every grain separate. It also means the rice cooks more quickly and evenly.How to rinse rice:Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to turn the rice over in the bowl, be gentle as you don't want to break the grains. Carefully drain the water away and repeat this process twice more. Once you have rinsed the rice three times, use a fine-mesh sieve to drain the rice. To ensure you have washed away as much starch as possible, place the sieve under the flow of running water for 10-15 seconds. Leave the rice to drain dry.
How to rinse rice:Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to turn the rice over in the bowl, be gentle as you don't want to break the grains. Carefully drain the water away and repeat this process twice more. Once you have rinsed the rice three times, use a fine-mesh sieve to drain the rice. To ensure you have washed away as much starch as possible, place the sieve under the flow of running water for 10-15 seconds. Leave the rice to drain dry.
The cook time on the rice depends very much on the brand you have bought. Check your rice periodically through the cook time to see when it is just tender.
It is important to drain the rice immediately to remove the excess boiling water. This stops the final dish being water logged and leaves you with fluffy rice. You want to use a sieve or fine mesh colander to drain the rice so that all the water is removed.