Nana's Pilau
A secret family recipe.
NANA'S PILAU
INGREDIENTS
250 g basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 mins, plus 375 ml water for cooking
1/2 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
5 whole green cardamom pods, crushed
6 whole clove
2 cinnamon sticks, roughly broken
1-2 saffron threads
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cooking oil
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
A pot with a tight or heavy fitted lid (💡Important: helps to trap steam)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add cardamom, clove, cinnamon to how oil and toast for about 1 min until fragrant. Add onion to the pot and fry until onions turn translucent. Add a pinch of salt while the onion cooks to draw out the moisture. If you find the onions browning too quickly or if the oil has been absorbed by the onion, add another tablespoon of oil to the pot.
Cook for a couple of minutes. Once the onions have turned translucent, add the rinsed rice to the pot. Toast the rice with the spices, then add the water, saffron, and the chicken bouillon cube. Stir, then immediately cover the pot and turn the heat to high.
With the lid closed, bring the pot to a boil. As soon as the pot hits a boil - you’ll probably see steam. Turn the heat down to low immediately (What ever you do, do NOT open the lid).
Let the pot simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Then turn the heat off and leave the lid closed for another 10 minutes. Once the time is up, open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
That’s it - enjoy alone or serve with your favourite curry.
TIPS
If you DON’T want to spend 30-minutes picking out spices from the rice when it’s done, slice half an onion and stab the cloves into the onion before frying.
This recipe has NOT been tested with other types of rice. Different rice require different amounts of water to hydrate and cook properly, so that is my word of caution.
If you don’t soak the rice, its okay just don’t let ANY steam escape when the rice is cooking and after the stove is off for at least 10 mins.
BE CAREFUL SAFFRON WILL STAIN YOUR CLOTHES
I have never tried this in an instant pot or rice cooker, it should also work but I’ve only ever used the stovetop method.
BACKGROUND
Listen, this is a true secret family recipe. No, it’s not because it’s actually a secret we’re hiding from the world but simply the fact that it took MAJOR spy activity and decrypting to pry this recipe from my Nana. Lovely woman, terrible at giving instructions. This is her family-famous pilau which she would make for every special occasion and family gathering. My family cherishes this recipe, and I hope you do too. Eat alone (it’s that good), or enjoy with your favourite curry.