Shahi Pulao | Hyderabadi Pulao

Shahi pulao recipe with step by step pics. As the word shahi means this Hyderabadi vegetable pulao is royal and rich having a myriad of textures and flavors in each bite. Addition of dry fruits and nuts, saffron, ghee make this Hyderabadi pulao rich and festive dish.

I make this Hyderabadi pulao on special occasions and so thought of adding the recipe. This shahi pulao is spiced and not on the sweeter side. Whole spices as well as, spice powders are added in the pulao making it aromatic and spiced. This shahi pulao is more Hyderabadi style than Mughlai style.

In this Hyderabadi pulao you can add your choice of vegetables. The veggies that I usually add to this pulao are carrots, sweet corn, french beans, cauliflower, potatoes and green peas. If you like mushrooms then you can consider adding them also.

I have cooked the pulao in a pot, but you can also make in a pressure cooker. Just add less water when making in a cooker. Dry fruits also can be of your choice. I used a mix of cashews, almonds, raisins and pistachios. Do use good quality basmati rice for the best taste.

Since this shahi pulao is rich, its best to make it for weekends or special occasions. You can serve it with a side raita variety like onion-tomato raita or cucumber raita or boondi raita.

How to make Hyderabadi Shahi Pulao

A) preparation:

1. Rinse 1.5 cups of basmati rice (275 grams rice) very well in fresh water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak rice in enough water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain all the water and keep the rice aside.

2. In a small bowl mix ½ tablespoon warm water and 1 pinch of saffron. Also, chop all the veggies and slice the onions.

Frying nuts and dry fruits

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee in a heavy pot or a pan. Keep the heat to a low or medium-low.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of almonds.

5. Fry almonds till they change color and become a shade darker. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

6. Next add 12 to 15 cashews,

7. Fry them till the cashews become golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep them aside.

8. Then add 1 tablespoon of pistachios and fry for some seconds. Remove and keep them aside.

9. Next add 1 tablespoon of raisins and fry till the raisins become plump and swell.

10. Remove the raisins and keep them aside.

Making shahi pulao

11. Keep the heat to a low and add the following whole spices – ½ teaspoon shah jeera (caraway seeds), 2 inch cinnamon, 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), 4 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves and 2 to 3 strands of mace.

Fry the spices for a few seconds till they become aromatic and splutter.

12. Then add 1.5 cups thinly sliced onions.

13. Mix well and begin to sauté onions on a medium-low heat.

14. Stir often when sautéing onions.

15. First the onions will become light golden.

16. Continue to stir and sauté till the onions start becoming golden.

17. When the onions become golden, switch off the flame and remove about ¼ to ⅓ cup onions from the pan. Keep aside.

18. Switch on the heat and add ½ tablespoon ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for some seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

19. Then add ½ cup chopped tomatoes and mix.

20. Add 1 green chilli (chopped), ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves and 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves.

21. Stir and mix well.

22. Add the following ground spices:

• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon biryani or pulao masala powder OR ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder.

23. Mix and sauté till tomatoes soften.

24. Keep the heat to a low and then add 3 tablespoons fresh curd (yogurt).

25. As soon as you add curd, mix quickly so that it does not split. Mix very well.

26. Now add 1.5 to 2 cups of chopped veggies like carrots, french beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, and potatoes. Also add ⅓ cup green peas.

27. Mix and sauté veggie for a minute.

28. Add 2.5 to 2.75 water. Depending on the quality of rice, you can add less or more water.

29. Stir and mix well.

30. Season with salt as per taste. Mix again. Check the taste of water and it should taste slightly salty.

Cooking shahi pulao

31. Cover the pan with the lid and cook on medium heat till the entire mixture come to a boil.

32. Let the mixture come to a boil.

33. Add rice.

34. Add the saffron solution. Saffron can be skipped and 1 teaspoon rose water or kewra water can also be added.

35. Mix again.

36. Cover the pan with lid and simmer on a low to medium-low heat till rice grains are tender and cooked. Do check a couple of times and if required you can add some hot water if the shahi pulao mixture looks dry.

37. When done, gently fluff the rice.

38. Serve Hyderabadi shahi pulao hot garnished with the fried dry fruits, nuts and onions. You can even garnish with a few mint sprigs or coriander leaves.

Few more Rice recipes

1. Kashmiri pulao
2. Yakhni pulao
3. Pulao recipe
4. Peas pulao
5. Zarda recipe

This Shahi Pulao post from the blog archives first published in Feb 2018 has been updated and republished on December 2022.