Pilau Rice Recipe

Use this easy Pilau Rice recipe to make the perfect accompaniment to any Indian meal or as a delicious stand alone snack. As an accompaniment to a main course like curry this recipe will serve 4-6 people. Prep time is just 10 minutes and your dish will be ready to eat in 25 minutes. Make your rice in advance to help you whip up a meal in minutes.

Zouk Pilau Rice Seasoning

Use this aromatic spice blend for a dish with the perfect fusion of modern and traditional flavours. Zouk's Pilau Rice Seasoning is blended to infuse each grain of rice with flavour as it absorbs its cooking liquid. For best results you must lightly toast the seasoning at the start of the cooking process to release the volatile oils. This will aid absorption of the flavour into each individual grain of rice. Try with basmati for traditional pilau or get creative and experiment with your favourite rice type. The mix of onion,. paprika, chilli, garlic, turmeric and aromatic spices will add some excitement to any rice dish. Read our simple to follow step by step below for a traditional Pilau Rice recipe.

Equipment List

Bowl
Sieve
Saucepan and lid / foil
Teaspoon
Fork
Wooden Spoon

Ingredients for Pilau Rice Recipe

300g rice (basmati works best)
30g butter or 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Zouk Pilau Rice Seasoning
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
500ml vegetable stock or water
Pinch salt

Method for Pilau Rice Recipe

1. Prepare the rice. Soak the rice in a large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. This step can be skipped if time is short and you can just rinse the rice in cold running water and drain it. Both these actions will give your rice a light fluffy finish. The rice should be rinsed several times until the water is only slightly cloudy. Leave rice to drain over the sink.
2. Heat the butter or oil in a pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion with a large pinch of salt. Stir this occasionally for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and golden.
3. Add the Zouk Pilau Rice Seasoning to the pan and lightly toast it for a few minutes to release the volatile oils.
4. Gently stir in the drained rice, bay leaves and cinnamon stick to coat in the onion mixture.
5. Pour over the stock or water and stir well. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for around 15 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
6. Turn the heat off completely and leave to stand for 10 minutes without removing the lid.
7. Fluff up with a fork before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Cooked well an Indian Pilau Rice is the perfect accompaniment to almost any meal. It's is great with curries, stews and casseroles. It is also especially cooked with left over grilled meats and salad for a quick lunch time meal. Pilau Rice can be made ahead and reheated. Simply cool and then store in the fridge until needed. To enjoy this dish at its best, serve it piping hot either on its own or with generous spoonfuls of your favourite curry. If you are re-heating rice then please always ensure the rice is piping hot before serving.

Try More Zouk Recipes

Liven up your lunch box with our spicy Chicken Tikka Recipe
Give this easy Seekh Kebab recipe a whirl
Try a tangy treat with our Punjabi Lollipop Recipe

Useful Links

Visit our product store to view the full product range.
Order Zouk Pilau Rice Seasoning
Read more about Zouk products.
Make a booking to dine at Zouk