Pilau Rice - The Classic Indian Side Dish | Greedy Gourmet

Question 1

What is pilau rice made of?

Accepted Answer

Pilau is a fragrant rice dish cooked with select spices.
A million miles away from plain boiled rice, it tastes and smells like a dream. Looks-wise, it catches the eye with a wonderful vibrant yellow that makes it all the more appetizing.

Typical spices used in pilau rice vary, although cumin seeds, turmeric, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and bay leaves are standard.

Question 2

Where does pilau rice come from?

Accepted Answer

The dish is typically served in Northern India, although the cooking technique comes from Persia, which is now known as Iran.

It's now a favorite curry throughout India, the UK, the US, and many places around the world.

Question 3

When was pilau invented?

Accepted Answer

The earliest known recipe for pilau rice comes from a 10th-century Persian scholar. This old-school foodie and all-round genius – known as Avicenna to us in the West – wrote about the medicinal benefits of the day's dishes, including many pilau recipes.

While he might not have invented pilau, he documented it and was widely read. This has led to him being known as the father of modern pilau or pilaf.

There are plenty of theories that it goes all the way back to ancient times, with ancient Indian and Iranian civilizations said to turn their noses up at boiled rice in favor of the flavor of a spicy pilaf.

Question 4

What's the difference between pilau and basmati?

Accepted Answer

Basmati is the type of rice used in the dish known as pilau. Basmati is a long, slender-grained aromatic rice. It’s traditionally grown in India, Nepal and Pakistan.

Question 5

How do you know when pilau rice is cooked?

Accepted Answer

The rice grains should be firm with a slight softness rather than stodgy or soggy.

Question 6

Is it pilaf or pilau rice?

Accepted Answer

Pilau is sometimes called a pilaf, pilaw, pullao, or pilav, depending on the country where it’s being cooked. The word (or maybe we should say ‘words’) refers to the cooking technique rather than the dish itself.

The technique is to let the uncooked rice absorb ghee, butter, or oil while sautéed in a pan, while other ingredients, such as onion or chicken, are added before it’s all cooked in a simmering spiced stock.

Question 7

Why is pilau rice yellow?

Accepted Answer

This yellow rice gets its glorious color from turmeric. Acting as a natural coloring agent, this sublime spice infuses the rice with its golden yellow color.

Question 8

Can I use easy cook rice for pilau?

Accepted Answer

I recommend using classic basmati rice for this pilau rice recipe.

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition