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Vegetable Pilau Rice
5 from 15 votes

Vegetable Pilau Rice

Vegetable Pilau Rice is a spiced rice dish cooked with basmati rice, green peas, diced carrots, and whole warming spices like cumin, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cinnamon. The spices infuse the simmering vegetables and water, creating a flavorful stock that the rice absorbs. The final steaming step results in tender, aromatic pilau rice with lightly cooked vegetables throughout.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 158 kcal
Course: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Pakistani

Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmati rice wash and soak in water one hour before cooking.
  • 1 onion finely chopped.
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds whole
  • 3 black cardamom
  • 15 cloves whole
  • 20 black peppercorns whole
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2- inches cinnamon stick
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 cup green peas frozen or fresh.
  • 4.23 ounces carrot diced
  • 2 ¾ cups water from the kettle, hot, boiling

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash and rinse the rice. Then soak it in plenty of water. Make sure the grains submerged in the water. Set it aside.
  2. Fry the chopped onion in a cooking pot until translucent and light golden in colour.
  3. Put in the rest of the spices, i.e. cumin seeds, cardamoms, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and salt. Give it a stir and let it cook for a minute until it gives an aroma.
  4. Then add in the salt, green peas and carrots. Stir it gently and let it fry for a minute or two before adding water. Let it cook and simmer until the water looks cloudy and the veggies are cooked.
  5. Drain the rice and add it to the stock. 
  6. Cook at medium-high heat until all the water evaporates.
  7. When all the water has gone, and the rice looks almost done but still firm, put the lid on and cook at low heat to steam. It usually takes about 2-3 minutes to steam the rice. Once you can see the steam come out of the pan, your vegetable pilau rice is ready.

Notes

  • Let vegetables simmer longer for a richer, savory stock before adding rice.
  • Optionally remove whole spices before adding rice to avoid biting into them later.
  • Be careful not to overcook the rice; keep grains firm and separate.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 158kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 24g (8%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 6g (9%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g (29%) Sodium 451mg (19%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 158

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 158kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 6g 9%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Sodium 451mg 19%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 2g 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.