Ingredients

250g basmati rice

25g butter

2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 small cinnamon stick

8 cardamom pods

1 star anise

1 lemon

600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock, or 1 stock cube mixed with hot water

6 shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

50g nuts of your choice (cashews, pistachios, flaked almonds)

200g natural yogurt

Large pinch of saffron

125g dried fruit of your choice (apricots, cranberries, raisins)

Handful of coriander leaves, picked

Instructions

Step 1: Tip the rice into a saucepan and cover with warm water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Drizzle in the vegetable oil, then fry the onion and garlic for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent.

Step 3: Stir in the ground turmeric, ground cumin, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and star anise. Sizzle the spices in the butter and oil for 1–2 minutes.

Step 4: Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan. Using a vegetable peeler, peel three long strips of lemon zest and add them to the pan. Stir together.

Step 5: Pour over the hot stock, bring to a simmer, stir once more, cover, and simmer gently for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 15 minutes without opening the lid.

Step 6: Meanwhile, heat a deep pan or wok with a 2cm depth of vegetable oil to 180°C, or until a cube of bread browns in 20 seconds. Fry the shallots in two batches, sizzling for about 8 minutes each until golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt and let cool slightly.

Step 7: Toast the nuts in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes until golden.

Step 8: Mix the natural yogurt with saffron and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 9: Uncover the rice and check it is tender and all liquid absorbed. If needed, cover and let stand for another 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in the toasted nuts and dried fruit.

Step 10: Transfer the pilaf to a serving platter, removing the whole spices and lemon peel as you do. Scatter the crispy shallots and coriander leaves on top. Serve with the saffron yogurt on the side.

Tips & Variations

Soaking the rice helps achieve light, fluffy grains—don’t skip this step.

For a nut-free version, simply omit the nuts or substitute with toasted seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Use vegetable stock to keep this dish vegetarian or chicken stock for extra richness.

If you prefer less oil, shallow fry the shallots in a pan instead of deep-frying, turning frequently until golden.

FAQs

Can I use other types of rice for this pilaf?

While basmati rice is best for its fragrance and fluffiness, you can substitute with jasmine rice or long-grain rice. Cooking times and soaking may vary slightly.

How do I prevent the shallots from burning when frying?

Fry the shallots over medium heat and watch them closely. They cook quickly and can go from golden to burnt in seconds, so stir frequently and remove them as soon as they turn golden brown.