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Sweetcorn pulao
Mild basmati rice cooked with sweetcorn, whole spices and a little ghee
Sweetcorn pulao is a modern city favourite in India, from Pune to Delhi, cooked on school nights and packed into the next day's tiffin: fluffy basmati with juicy corn, gently perfumed with cumin, bay and cardamom, mild enough for the youngest at the table. Serve it with raita or a simple dal. It contains milk (ghee); use oil for a dairy-free version. Chef's tip: once the lid is on, don't stir; stirring breaks the grains and makes the pulao sticky.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz basmati rice
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ in cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 1 tsp fresh gingergrated
- 5 ½ oz sweetcorn kernelsfrozen or tinned and drained
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 7 oz basmati rice in several changes of water until it runs clear, then soak for 20 minutes and drain.
20 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp ghee and 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, ¾ in cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 2 green cardamom pods and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 3: Add 1 onion and cook for 6 minutes, until golden. Stir in 1 tsp fresh ginger and 5 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels and cook for 2 minutes.
8 minStep 4: Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1 minute to coat it in the spiced fat. Pour in 1 ¾ cups water, add ¾ tsp salt and bring to the boil.
2 minStep 5: Cover, turn the heat to its lowest and cook for 12 minutes without stirring, until the water has gone and small steam holes show on the surface. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. The common mistake is lifting the lid to check: the steam escapes and the rice cooks unevenly.
17 minStep 6: Pick out the whole spices before serving to children so nobody bites on a clove or cinnamon piece. Scatter with 1 tbsp fresh coriander.
Step 7: Cool leftovers quickly, within an hour, and keep covered in the fridge for no more than a day. Reheat until piping hot, or pack cold for a lunchbox with an ice pack.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sweetcorn pulao take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of basmati rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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