Pulao Recipe (Basmati Pulao)

Plain Pulao or Basmati pulao is a fragrant rice dish made with basmati rice, whole spices, dried fruits, nuts, saffron and ghee. This simple pulao can be served with any spicy accompaniments like chicken gravy, paneer butter masala or peas curry. Learn how to make fluffy pulao with step by step pictures and video.

Plain Pulao (Basmati Pulao)

Sometimes I get bored of having plain rice, kuzhambu, curries for lunch. During those times, I make either chicken curry or veg curry. To go with it, I make this fragrant pulao. This is a very simple pulao, but it is very flavourful and aromatic. 

Jump to:

• About Plain Pulao (Basmati Pulao)
• Watch Plain Basmati Pulao Video 
• Plain Pulao Ingredients
• Top Tips for Fluffy Pulao Rice
• How to Make Plain Basmati Pulao (Stepwise Pictures)
• Variations
• Expert Tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe Card

The rice looks so beautiful with shades of yellow from the saffron used and final garnish of fried nuts and dried fruits. I usually make this for parties or special occasions. 

About Plain Pulao (Basmati Pulao)

Pulao is a popular Indian rice dish which is loved in many parts of the world. Each region including Iran, Middle East, Pakistan have their own way of cooking pulao. Traditionally pulao is made with rice, whole spices, ghee or butter, some kind of meat and stock. There are many types of pulao, some of the most popular ones are chicken pulao, mutton pulao, peas pulao, veg pulao, tawa pulao. You can check my entire pulao recipes here.

This pulao doesn’t have any vegetables, chicken or meat added. It is made with rice and few whole spices. I use basmati rice, few whole spices, dried fruits, nuts, ghee and saffron. The cooking method is slightly different and results in fluffy pulao rice.

If you ever struggle to make fluffy rice or pulao, follow this technique. If you get the hang of it, you will get perfect grains of rice all the time. Each rice shines and turns out perfect cooked. I have shared detailed method with step by step pictures and a video for you. 

Unlike chicken biryani or veg pulao, this basmati pulao is very mild and doesn’t have any strong flavour on its own. So you can pair this with any of your favorite curries or kurma. 

Similar Recipes, 

Jeera Pulao
Soya Pulao
Shahi Pulao
Beetroot Pulao

Watch Plain Basmati Pulao Video 

Plain Pulao Ingredients

Basmati Rice - Try to find the best quality of basmati rice for this pulao. I usually use India gate classic. Make sure you wash the rice 2 to 3 times and soak them for at least 30 minutes. This step is very important for fluffy rice. 

Whole Spices - spices including cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, shahi jeera, bay leaf adds the depth of flavour to the pulao. 

Nuts & Dried Fruits - I prefer to use cashews and golden raisins as garnish for this pulao. But you can use almonds, pine nuts as well. 

Saffron - never skip using saffron. This adds wonderful aroma and colour to the pulao which takes this humble rice to a whole new level.

Ghee - desi ghee is preferred for the depth of flavour. 

Top Tips for Fluffy Pulao Rice

Choice of Rice - Try to find the best quality of basmati rice for this pulao. I usually use India gate classic. Make sure you wash the rice 2 to 3 times and soak them for at least 30 minutes. You can soak it anywhere from 30 mins to 1 hour. This step is very important for fluffy rice. 

Water Ratio is Crucial - As all pulao or biryani, water ratio for rice is very important. For this recipe you need to add 2 parts water to 1 part rice. This ratio works perfectly, you get fluffy yet soft rice. 

Cooking Method - The method you cook the rice is important. Boil the rice on high flame till most of the water is absorbed. Then cover and cook on lowest heat possible. Once pulao is done cooking, turn off the heat and let the pulao stand for 10 to 15 mins before fluffing the rice. 

Main Flavourings - Since this pulao is simple and plain. You have to use good quality ingredients and also never skip on the ingredients. Use good quality ghee, basmati rice and saffron, because those adds to the aroma. 

How to Make Plain Basmati Pulao (Stepwise Pictures)

Soaking Rice

1)Take basmati rice in a bowl. Wash it multiple times in water to remove excess starch from the rice. Now cover the rice with water and let it soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Pro Tip: It is important to soak the rice for at least 30 minutes.

2)Once it is soaked, strain the rice in a sieve and set aside.

Frying Nuts & Dried Fruits

3)Heat a casserole in which we are going to cook the pulao. Add in ghee, we are going to fry the nuts and dried fruits.

4)Add in cashews into the ghee and cook on low heat. Make sure the heat is low so the nuts don't burn. You can add almonds or any nuts as you prefer.

5)Add in golden raisins (kishmish) into the ghee and fry till lightly golden brown.

6)Now the nuts and dried fruits are fried till golden.

7)Strain the fried nuts in a plate and set aside. We will be using this in the end.

Steeping Saffron

8)The second step in making pulao is to steep saffron. Take saffron strands in a bowl, cover with warm milk and allow them to steep till required.

Tempering Spices

9)Now in the same ghee in which we fried the nuts, add in whole spices. I am using bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom pods.

10)Add in shahi jeera and let them sizzles for few seconds in ghee.

Adding Water

11)Pour in water over the spices.

12)Add salt to taste. Once salt is added, taste the water and adjust the salt.

13)Add in sugar to taste. You need to add little sugar to balance the taste. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice at this point if you need.

14)Mix this really well and let it come to a simmer stage.

Adding in Rice

15)Now add in the strained rice into the water and mix well.

16)Bring the water to a full boil. Let it boil on low medium heat.

17)Let it boil on low medium heat till rice has mostly absorbed the water.

18)It should look like this, it will take around 5 to 6 mins. There should still some water in the rice.

Cooking Pulao

19)Now put a lid and simmer the flame to the lowest possible and cook for another 5 mins.

20)Now the rice is almost cooked, you can make small holes in the rice like I have shown here. This helps evaporate the water fast and makes the rice cook faster.

21)Now drizzle in the saffron milk using a spoon.

22)Cover the pot with lid and continue to cook on low flame for 5 more mins.

23)Now you can see all the rice in the pot facing upwards, this is how you know that the rice is perfectly done.

24)Now use a spatula or fork to fluff up the rice gently.

25)Sprinkle the fried nuts and dried fruits all over the rice and mix well. You can add a spoonful of ghee over the rice.

26)Enjoy.

Variations

I have shared variety of pulao recipes on my blog over the years. Here are some easy pulao recipes which you can make for lunch under 30 minutes.

1)Beetroot Pulao - Simple beet pulao which gets a lovely red colour for the beets. nutritious rice recipe to put in kids lunch box.

2)Spicy Peas Pulao - Spicy peas pulao is a simple dish which you can make in under 30 mins.

3)Vegetable Pulao - Mixed veg pulao made with variety of vegetables like carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower is healthy and taste amazing with some raita and pickle.

4)Tomato Peas Pulao - Tomato flavoured with specks of green peas tossed in it.Tangy and spicy pulao taste amazing with raita.

5)Beetroot Peas Pulao - This combination of spicy pulao taste so good for lunch.

6)Gobi Pulao - Cauliflower pulao is super easy to make and makes a perfect lunch box recipe.

7)Aloo Pulao - Aloo pulao will be your kids favorite pulao recipe.

8)Mushroom pulao - If you love mushrooms then you are in treat with this pulao. It is so flavourful. 

9)Chana Pulao - Nutritious and protein rich pulao which has chickpeas added in them.

10)Masala Pulao - Masala pulao is super easy to make and taste amazing with some dahi.

Expert Tips

• Soak basmati rice for at least 30 mins. You can soak it anywhere from 30 mins to 1 hour.
• Add 2 parts water to 1 part rice.
• Boil the rice on high flame till most of the water is absorbed and your rice looks as shown in the image.
• Cover and cook on lowest heat possible.
• Use good quality ghee, basmati rice and saffron, because those are the ones which gives the aroma.

FAQ

What is a Pulao?

Pulao is a popular Indian rice dish which is loved in many parts of the world. Each region including Iran, Middle East, Pakistan have their own way of cooking pulao. 

What are the types of pulao?

There are many varieties of pulao all over India. some of the most popular ones are chicken pulao, mutton pulao, peas pulao, veg pulao, tawa pulao. You can check my entire pulao recipes here.

Which rice is best for pulao?

I usually use India gate classic. You can use any aged basmati rice for making pulao and biryani. Make sure you wash the rice 2 to 3 times and soak them for at least 30 minutes. This step is very important for fluffy rice. 

Is pulao healthy or unhealthy?

Pulao usually made with rice and some kind of meat or vegetable. It is packed with carbs, protein and nutrients. So it is a healthy option for a balanced diet. Pulao is usually lighter than biryani or other dishes and is usually healthier option. 

What is the difference between biryani and pulao rice?

Biryani usually has lots of spice powders, yogurt, herbs and protein. But pulao is mild in texture and flavour that biryani. Unlike chicken biryani or veg pulao, this basmati pulao is very mild and doesn’t have any strong flavour on its own. So you can pair this with any of your favorite curries or kurma. 

More Pulao Recipes to Try

📖 Recipe Card

If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.

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