Name: Spiced Pilaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 225 g ofBasmati rice; 2 teaspoons ofvegetable oil; 1 onion (small); 1 pod ofgarlic; 1 teaspoon offennel seeds; 1 tbsp ofsesame seeds; 2 teaspoons ofturmeric powder; 1 teaspoon ofground cumin; 4 seeds ofcardamom; 5 grains ofblack pepper; 1 teaspoon ofsalt; 2 cloves; 450 ml ofchicken broth; 1 tbsp ofalmond flour; quelques strands offresh cilantro

side dishes pan-frying pasta and rice slow cooking

Updated on 26 March 2026 by

cookette

9 reviews 4.6 : Very good

Cuisine

India

Diet

GFDF Gluten-free Lactose-free Lightweight Vegan Vegetarian

Level

Easy

Calories

90 pour 100g

Preparation

15 minutes

Cooking

30 minutes

Wait

30 minutes

Here is my recipe for spiced pilaf rice. It makes the perfect side dish for many Asian dishes. You can also add a variety of vegetables to create a complete, flavorful vegetarian meal 😋

Table des matières

What is pilaf rice?

Pilaf rice is a cooking technique that involves sautéing the grains in fat until they turn pearly before adding liquid. You then pour in a precise amount of broth, which the rice must absorb completely while covered, without stirring at all during cooking.

The final result is a particularly flavorful rice with grains that remain perfectly firm and well-separated.

What ingredients are needed for this Indian pilaf?

This spiced pilaf is made with ingredients that are easy to find. To make it, you’ll need various spices and herbs, as well as chicken broth and crushed almonds. The only fresh ingredient is fresh cilantro, which will be used to garnish and decorate this pilaf.

A base for many variations

This spiced pilaf lends itself to many variations, as you can add various meats and vegetables at different stages of cooking.

Check out the notes at the bottom of this recipe for a few suggestions, and feel free to share your own in the comments!

Give it a try!

I hope you’ll feel inspired to cook this spiced pilaf recipe—you’ll see, it’s simple to prepare and incredibly flavorful!

Enjoy, and thank you in advance for your comments 🙏

For

people

Add to shopping list

225 g of Basmati rice
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 onion small
1 pod of garlic
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of sesame seeds
2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
4 seeds of cardamom
5 grains of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cloves
450 ml of chicken broth
1 tbsp of almond flour
quelques strands of fresh cilantro

1
Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes.
2
Peel, remove the root end, and finely chop the onion.
Crush the garlic clove, then peel and remove the root end.
Prepare the chicken broth according to the package directions.
3
In a Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion and garlic.
Sauté for 5 minutes.
4
Add the spices and herbs: fennel seeds, sesame seeds, turmeric, cumin, cloves, cardamom, pepper, and salt.
Sauté for about one minute.
5
Drain the rice thoroughly.
Add the rice to the pot and sauté for 3–4 minutes.
The Chef's Tip
The rice should become slightly translucent but not brown.
6
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
The Chef's Tip
Do not stir or uncover the rice at any point during cooking. By the end of cooking, all the liquid should have been absorbed.
7
Remove from heat and let the rice rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in the chopped almonds.

Notes

For a complete vegetarian meal, you can add a variety of vegetables to this Indian pilaf:

a small cauliflower, cut into florets, first sautéed with the spices and then cooked along with the rice,
mushroom and pea pilaf: add a tomato and 50g of button mushrooms at the same time as the broth, and 75g of peas after 15 minutes of cooking
for a meat-based variation: add chorizo or another type of sausage when sautéing the rice