Easy Instant Pot Pilau Rice

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4.86 from 21 votes

Easy Instant Pot Pilau Rice is a faster way of making this tasty spiced Indian rice dish. Cook in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker for 3 minutes, then leave for a natural pressure release for 15-20 minutes.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5

Cook Time3

NPR15

Total Time23

Ingredients

1 tbs Vegetable Oil
½ Onion
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
5 Cardamom pods
200 g Basmati Rice
240 ml Vegetable Stock or Broth
2 Bay leaves

Metric - USA Cups

Instructions

Sauté the spices - Pour the oil into the bottom of the Instant Pot cooking pot. Set the machine onto the low sauté function. Crack the cardamom pod in a pestle and mortar or on a chopping board with the side of a heavy knife. Add the cardamom, turmeric and cumin to the oil and fry for a minute until fragrant.
1 tbs Vegetable Oil, 1 tsp Turmeric, 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, 5 Cardamom pods
Sauté the onion - Add the finely chopped onion to the spices and cook until soft.
½ Onion
Add the rice - Add the rice and stir until it is coated with the spice and oil mixture
200 g Basmati Rice
Add the rest of the ingredients - Pour over the stock, add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and give a quick stir. Add a little salt.
1 inch Cinnamon Stick, 240 ml Vegetable Stock or Broth, 2 Bay leaves
Cook - Programme the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with the keep warm function switched on.
NPR - Once cooked allow a natural pressure release (NPR) for 18 minutes. The rice will have absorbed all the liquid.
Serve - Fluff with a fork before serving.

Notes

Pot in pot method for a smaller quantity

To make a smaller quantity, follow the instructions to step 3, then transfer the spiced rice to a heat proof bowl, add the stock and other ingredients. Add a generous cup of water to the instant pot. Stand the bowl of rice and stock on a trivet and cook as per the instructions

To prevent a burn error

Sauté on low and switch off before you add the rice. If the pot is too hot the stock will boil when you add it too much will evaporate and you won't have enough liquid. If this happens add another 1/4 cup of water.
After adding the liquid scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure there isn't any onion or spices stuck to the bottom.

Recipe variations

You can leave the onion out for an even simpler dish.
When cooking recipes that use half an onion, I dice one whole onion, and freeze what I haven't used in an airtight container. Onion fries well from frozen; it's a great time saver.
You can of course use different spices. How about half a lemon rind to make lemon rice?
There is no need to rinse the rice. However, if you do rinse the rice then reduce the amount of stock by 2 tbs
The rule for cooking rice in an Instant Pot is to use the same quantity of liquid to rice by volume.
Make ahead, cool and keep in the fridge for no more than 48 hours.
Leftovers can be frozen - Pack into an empty takeaway container, allow to cool and then freeze.
Use hot broth or stock so the Instant Pot comes to pressure quicker and speeds up the total cooking time.
You can increase quantities, but don't make less of this recipe as the Instant Pot needs a full cup of liquid to come to pressure. If in doubt check the user manual for your electric pressure cooker.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is worth 8 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.