Today’s recipe is to me what chocolate is to kids.
This ‘Garlic Pulao,’ as mama (my mum) calls it, is so full of flavour. It is to die for, at least according to me. I’m glad I can finally share it here on the blog. A much-awaited recipe.
This recipe brings back memories of my childhood. We used to ask Mama to make pulao as a treat for us on Sundays. We would be home or come back from Sunday school. I could eat two plates full of this freshly cooked fragrant pulao and then laze around in bed all day. Haha!
The aroma of it when it was ready is… oh, oh! So AMAZING !!!
This recipe is also like a muscle memory recipe for me and is my go-to party favourite recipe. Most loved by everyone who has tasted it.
It is very simple to make, but it can keep your tummy full for a long time.
Ingredients added to this dish
Whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and black peppercorns elevate the dish. They also intensify the aroma of the dish altogether. I added some onion to this recipe, but you can entirely omit it and only add garlic.
I added the Indian chicken Maggi stock cubes to flavour this pulao. You can substitute it with the vegetarian variety of Maggi cubes.
My mum always uses a combination of ghee and oil so that the pulao doesn’t end up being too dry.
Benefits of garlic in your diet
I could be a little cheeky and call this recipe healthy because of the amount of garlic added to it.
Garlic does have a lot of health-improving benefits, I must say. Garlic in your food can keep the blood pressure under control and also keeps the cold and flu away. So this recipe could certainly keep you healthy if you’ve got a flu running in the air around you.
Garlic isn’t just a flavour powerhouse. It is packed with health benefits too. Garlic is rich in antioxidants and compound allicin. It helps boost immunity and supports heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. It also has natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It also aids digestion, regulates blood sugar, and even helps detoxify the body. Adding garlic to dishes like this pulao elevates the taste. It also adds a nutritious punch to your meal.
Garlic pulao- a Goan Sunday ritual
This dish is also one of my first recipes. I loved to make it when I officially realised my love for cooking.
Back home, pulao used to generally be like a must-have Sunday lunch menu item. It still does. But now, as I am away from home, pulao has become my go-to recipe. I choose it when I don’t feel like cooking an extensive menu. It can be had all by itself as a wholesome meal. Alternatively, it can be accompanied by a chicken, vegetable, or meat dish, or any other source of protein. Have it with some homemade pickle, like the prawn balchão. Add a portion of some salad to balance out the carbs.
The recipe
AuthorVania CottaCategory30 MINUTES OR LESS, BROWSE RECIPES, BY COURSE, BY CRAVINGS, BY CUISINE, BY DIET, BY HOLIDAY/SEASON, BY INGREDIENTS, BY SKILL/TIME, CELEBRATIONS, COOKING BASICS, EASY, FAVOURITES, FOOD SERIES, GOAN, GOAN CATHOLIC, HOW-TO, INDULGENT, LEARN TO COOK WITH VANIA, LUNCH/DINNER, NOSTALGIC, RECIPE INDEX, RECIPE ROUND-UPS, RECIPES, RICE AND GRAINS, SAVOURY, VEGAN, VEGETARIANCuisineGOAN, GOAN CATHOLIC, GOAN PORTUGUESE-INFLUENCEDCooking MethodCOOKING, STEAMINGDifficultyBeginnerThis garlic-filled flavoured rice is the ultimate comfort food. It is my mama's signature recipe, most loved by all..
Heat the oil and ghee in a deep-bottom pan and add the finely chopped garlic.
Once the garlic starts sweating and the rawness disappears, add the onions and sauté them until they become translucent.
Add the whole spices- bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and peppercorns. Add the turmeric powder at this stage too. Fry it for some time.
Then add rice and water according to the measurements. So the ratio of rice to water should always be 1:2, which is one part of rice to two parts of water. This measurement ensures perfectly cooked rice every time.
Add salt to taste and the Maggi cubes. Stir it, cover the pan with a lid and let the rice cook on a medium-low flame.
It takes about 15- 20 minutes for the water to evaporate and the rice to cook. Check if the rice is ready and the water has dried up. Turn off the flame and let the rice stay covered with the lid on for another 5 minutes. This ensures the leftover steam fluffs the rice even further.
Serve hot with your preferred accompaniments or by itself.
- If you are pre-soaking the rice for over 5 minutes after washing it, then use the ratio of 1.5:1 of water to rice when cooking the pulao.
- If you soak the rice in water before cooking, it makes the grain fluffier and less sticky and reduces cooking time.
- This pulao goes well with a serving of any pickle, like prawn balchão, mango water pickle, etc.
Ingredients
Did you try out this recipe?
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Much love and a warm plate of this pulao always,
Vania xx
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