Love the fluffy, flavorful basmati rice served at Indian restaurants? This Indian Rice recipe lets you recreate that magic at home as a versatile side dish for any curry. The best part? This simple, no-measure recipe comes together in under 30 minutes!
Pair it with Chana Saag or Indian Chickpea Masala and a refreshing Indian cucumber salad for the ultimate restaurant-style dinner.
I learned this Indian basmati rice recipe from my aunt long ago, and I will make this very often at home as my kids like this flavored rice so much. These Indian spices make it more flavorful, filling the entire house with the aroma.
If you want hands-free cooking and fluffy basmati rice at home, check out my Instant Pot basmati rice recipe and rice cooker basmati rice recipe. I also have a detailed guide on the basmati rice-to-water ratio covering all cooking methods and a handy calculator.
Ingredients
For exact ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below.
- Basmati Rice: Aged basmati rice is preferred. You can easily get it from online stores or Indian supermarkets.
- Water: As we are using whole spices, plain water is preferable.
- Spices: Bay leaf, cardamom, whole peppercorns, caraway seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves. If you do not have caraway seeds, use cumin seeds.
- Oil: Any neutral flavored oil or ghee.
- Lemon juice: A few drops of lime or lemon juice to get fluffy rice.
- Salt: Pink salt or sea salt to season the rice.
Detailed Steps
Step 1: Rinse the rice thoroughly at least 2 to 3 times.
Step 2: If you have time, soak the rice. Drain the soaked rice in a colander before starting the cooking process.
Step 3: Heat a cooking pot and add water. Add spices, salt, and oil to this water.
Step 4: Let the water boil, and you can see that the color of the water is changed.
Step 5: Add the drained rice to this boiling water.
Step 6: Let the rice cook on medium to high flame until it is 80% cooked.
Step 7: It took me 8 to 9 minutes.
Step 8: Remove the pot from the flame and drain the rice into a strainer. Discard the water and add the strained rice back to the cooking pot.
Step 9: Cover the pot and heat for a minute, then turn off the flame. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and your fluffy, restaurant-style Indian rice will be ready!
Tips to get Fluffy Rice
Here are my top tips for achieving the fluffy texture of the rice, just like how you get in Indian restaurants.
- Rinse the rice at least 2 to 3 times to remove that extra starch.
- Once the rice is 80 % cooked, drain it into a colander. When we transfer it back to the container and steam it, the rice will be perfectly cooked.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice while the rice is cooking.
- Adding a teaspoon of oil will prevent the rice grains from sticking together. You can also add a teaspoon of ghee for a better flavor and aroma.
- To get that restaurant-style long grains, always use aged rice. Aged grains will remain long and separate after cooking.
Serving suggestions
- Pair with Dal: For a comforting meal, serve this rice with lentil dishes like Instant Pot Masoor Dal, Spinach Dal, or Dal tadka.
- Enjoy with Curries: This fragrant rice complements rich curries like Chana Saag, Indian Chickpea Masala, and Vegan Saag Paneer, soaking up the flavors beautifully. If you want mild home-style curries, try Indian Black Bean Curry or Chickpea Kale Curry.
- Transform into a One-Pot Dish: Mix it with sautéed vegetables, paneer, or tofu for an easy vegetable pulao-style dish. Any Indian vegetable side dish will go well with this rice.
FAQs
Soaking basmati rice for 20 minutes helps the grains cook evenly and stay long and fluffy. If you’re short on time, you can skip soaking, but rinsing the rice well is a must to remove excess starch.
Whole spices give the rice a subtle aroma without overpowering it. You can use powdered spices, but they might change the flavor and color of the rice.
Let the rice cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays fresh for up to 3 days. To prevent spoilage, avoid keeping rice at room temperature for too long.
To reheat, sprinkle a few teaspoons of water over the rice and microwave for 1-2 minutes, or steam it on the stovetop for a few minutes. This keeps it soft and fluffy instead of drying out.
Yes, but the texture and aroma will be different. Basmati rice is light and fluffy, making it perfect for this recipe.
Yes! A rice cooker works well for this recipe. Just add rinsed rice, water, and whole spices, then cook as per your rice cooker’s settings. Please check my Rice Cooker Basmati Rice recipe for more details.
Yes! Just double or triple the ingredients while keeping the same water-to-rice ratio. Use a large pot to prevent overcrowding, and let the rice rest before serving.
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Recipe
Restaurant Style Indian Rice Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 4 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
Spices
- 10 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds
- 4 cloves
- 4 cardamom
Instructions
- Rinse the rice thoroughly at least 2 to 3 times.
- If you have time, soak the rice. Drain the soaked rice in a colander before starting the cooking process.
- Heat a cooking pot and add water. Add spices, salt, and oil to this water.
- Let the water boil, and you can see that the color of the water is changed.
- Add the drained rice to this boiling water.
- Let the rice cook on medium to high flame until it is 80% cooked. It took me 8 to 9 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the flame and drain the rice into a strainer. Discard the water and add the strained rice back to the cooking pot.
- Cover the pot and heat for a minute, then turn off the flame. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and your fluffy, restaurant-style Indian rice will be ready!
Notes
- Rinse the rice at least 2 to 3 times to remove that extra starch.
- Once the rice is 80 % cooked, drain it into a colander. When we transfer it back to the container and steam it, the rice will be perfectly cooked.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice while the rice is cooking.
- Adding a teaspoon of oil will prevent the rice grains from sticking together. You can also add a teaspoon of ghee for a better flavor and aroma.
- To get that restaurant-style long grains, always use aged rice. Aged grains will remain long and separate after cooking.
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