Vegetable Pilau

 400 g basmati rice
 2 tbsp vegetable ghee or sunflower oil
 28 g butter
 2 onions peeled and finely chopped
 6 black peppercorns
 2 large black cardamoms
 2 bay leaves
 2 cloves
 1 cinnamon stick
 ½ tsp tumeric powder
 1 tsp red chilli powder
 1 tsp ground coriander
 1 tsp ground cumin
 1 carrot, peeled and cut into cubes
 100 g peas
 575 ml water
 salt to taste
1

Wash the rice in several changes of water then leave to soak for at
least 10 minutes.

2

Heat the oil/ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium flame.
Add the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cardamoms, cumin seeds and
bay leaves. Fry for 30 seconds until you can smell the aroma of the
spices, add the chopped onions and fry for 3-5 minutes until the onions
turn deep gold in colour.

3

Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chilli powder then fry the ground
spices for a further 30 seconds, stirring to ensure that the spices do not
burn.

4

Add the butter and all the vegetables to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5

Drain the rice and add to the saucepan, stir well over a high heat briefly
then pour in the water and salt, bring to the boil and cover the pan with
a lid.

6

Turn down the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes,
check if the rice is tender, if not replace the lid for a further minute.

7

Remove the lid, check a few grains to see if the rice is tender, then fluff
the rice with a fork gently, turn off the heat and remove whole spices.
Recover the pan and leave to steam for another 5 minutes.

8

Serve hot with cucumber raita.

CategoryCuisineCooking Method

Ingredients

 400 g basmati rice
 2 tbsp vegetable ghee or sunflower oil
 28 g butter
 2 onions peeled and finely chopped
 6 black peppercorns
 2 large black cardamoms
 2 bay leaves
 2 cloves
 1 cinnamon stick
 ½ tsp tumeric powder
 1 tsp red chilli powder
 1 tsp ground coriander
 1 tsp ground cumin
 1 carrot, peeled and cut into cubes
 100 g peas
 575 ml water
 salt to taste

Directions

1

Wash the rice in several changes of water then leave to soak for at
least 10 minutes.

2

Heat the oil/ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium flame.
Add the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cardamoms, cumin seeds and
bay leaves. Fry for 30 seconds until you can smell the aroma of the
spices, add the chopped onions and fry for 3-5 minutes until the onions
turn deep gold in colour.

3

Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chilli powder then fry the ground
spices for a further 30 seconds, stirring to ensure that the spices do not
burn.

4

Add the butter and all the vegetables to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5

Drain the rice and add to the saucepan, stir well over a high heat briefly
then pour in the water and salt, bring to the boil and cover the pan with
a lid.

6

Turn down the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes,
check if the rice is tender, if not replace the lid for a further minute.

7

Remove the lid, check a few grains to see if the rice is tender, then fluff
the rice with a fork gently, turn off the heat and remove whole spices.
Recover the pan and leave to steam for another 5 minutes.

8

Serve hot with cucumber raita.

Notes

Vegetable Pilau
IngredientsDirections
Nutrition Facts

4 servings

Serving size

Ingredients

 400 g basmati rice
 2 tbsp vegetable ghee or sunflower oil
 28 g butter
 2 onions peeled and finely chopped
 6 black peppercorns
 2 large black cardamoms
 2 bay leaves
 2 cloves
 1 cinnamon stick
 ½ tsp tumeric powder
 1 tsp red chilli powder
 1 tsp ground coriander
 1 tsp ground cumin
 1 carrot, peeled and cut into cubes
 100 g peas
 575 ml water
 salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1

Wash the rice in several changes of water then leave to soak for at
least 10 minutes.

2

Heat the oil/ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium flame.
Add the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cardamoms, cumin seeds and
bay leaves. Fry for 30 seconds until you can smell the aroma of the
spices, add the chopped onions and fry for 3-5 minutes until the onions
turn deep gold in colour.

3

Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chilli powder then fry the ground
spices for a further 30 seconds, stirring to ensure that the spices do not
burn.

4

Add the butter and all the vegetables to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5

Drain the rice and add to the saucepan, stir well over a high heat briefly
then pour in the water and salt, bring to the boil and cover the pan with
a lid.

6

Turn down the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes,
check if the rice is tender, if not replace the lid for a further minute.

7

Remove the lid, check a few grains to see if the rice is tender, then fluff
the rice with a fork gently, turn off the heat and remove whole spices.
Recover the pan and leave to steam for another 5 minutes.

8

Serve hot with cucumber raita.