📍 Where this dish comes from: Jaipur (the Pink City)
Discover the history of this region →
Discover the history of this region →
Pulao is the everyday rice dish across North and Central India — simpler than biryani, more aromatic than plain rice. The technique of frying the whole spices in ghee first is the defining step: the aromatic oils bloom in the fat and perfume every grain that follows. Whole cloves, black cardamom, and a cinnamon quill perfume the ghee before cauliflower rice is added; as it cooks, the kitchen fills with the intoxicating fragrance of sautéed onion, sweet spice, and toasted cashews that crown each fragrant bowl like a jeweled crown.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 145kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups cauliflower rice
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 4 green cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- Salt
- Fresh mint and coriander
Instructions
- Fry onion slices in ghee until golden; remove half for garnish.
- In remaining ghee, fry whole spices 1 minute.
- Add ginger-garlic paste; cook 1 minute.
- Add cauliflower rice; stir well to coat.
- Cook on medium heat 6–8 minutes until tender.
- Season with salt.
- Serve topped with fried onions, mint, and coriander.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 145kcal | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Fiber: 3g
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Health Benefits
- Whole spice cooking in ghee helps maximize extraction of the fat-soluble aromatic compounds in the spices.
- The fried onion garnish provides quercetin, a flavonoid studied for its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Coarse-grated cauliflower retains more cell structure and fiber than finely riced cauliflower.