THIS RICE DISH IS THE PERFECT ACCOMPANIMENT TO ANY CURRY, KEBAB, DAL, OR SUBZI.
A delicious rice dish that is full of flavor and tastes great with almost anything.
Pulao, pilaf, pilao, pilau, plov, polao… no matter what you call it or how you spell it, it’s one of my favorite side dishes.
For simplicity, I am going to call it Pulao because that’s what I grew up calling it.
So what is Pulao? It is an aromatic, fragrant rice dish made with basmati rice and seasoned with stock and spices. It’s very popular in Indian, & Middle Eastern cuisines. Sometimes you will see the addition of meat and vegetables, but this one is a simple version topped with some fresh herbs, nuts, and cranberries.
Pulao is similar to a Biryani but has fewer spices and is usually less labor-intensive. to simplify things, I made my Pulao in the instant pot using the rice function but this dish can be made perfectly on the stove-top as well.
What do you serve Pulao with? Anything! Literally any curry, dal, kebab, or meat dish works. It can also be had with a simple raita or Indian style pickle such as mango pickle or my favorite, chili pickle!
This dish tastes wonderful warm or at room temperature so it ‘s great for entertaining.
Insert Recipe below
Lemon Turmeric Pulao / Pilaf
A delicious rice dish that can accompany almost anything.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp organic ghee
- 1 medium white onion sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 inch piece of ginger minced or finely grated
- 1 cups well-rinsed basmati rice (make sure water runs clear)
- 2 cups vegetable broth (1 cup if using the instant pot)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins or fresh pomegranate seeds
- 1/3 cup toasted sliced almond or cashews or pistachios
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make sure you wash your rice well. You want the water running close to clear. This ensures a lot of the starch is removed and keeps the rice grains from sticking after they are cooked.
- In your Instant Pot, turn on the sauté function and heat up your ghee.
- Add in your sliced onions and sauté until they start to get caramelize
- Next, add your ginger and garlic. and keep sautéing.
- You want your onions to really brown. In total this could take you up to 10-12 minutes.
- Once the Onions are browned, add your rice, vegetable stock, lemon juice, turmeric, and salt. Give everything a good mix.
- close your instant pot, make sure it is on sealing and press the rice button. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Once done stir through your lemon zest, nuts, cranberries, coriander, and mint. Leave some for garnishing.
- Make sure you wash your rice well. You want the water running close to clear. This ensures a lot of the starch is removed and keeps the rice grains from sticking after they are cooked.
- Heat a heavy bottom pot (I use a ceramic cast iron pot) on your stove and add your ghee. Once heated,
- add in your sliced onions and sauté until they start to get caramelize
- Next, add your ginger and garlic. and keep sautéing.
- You want your onions to really brown. In total this could take you up to 10-12 minutes.
- Once the Onions are browned, add your rice, vegetable stock, lemon juice, turmeric, and salt. Give everything a good mix.
- Allow your broth to come to a boil. Once it does, lower to a low simmer and cover your pot. Allow the rice to cook for about 12-15 minutes. Check midway to ensure it's not done sooner (timing can vary based on your flame strength).
- Once done stir through your lemon zest, nuts, cranberries, coriander, and mint. Leave some for garnishing.
