One-Pot Rice Dinners Compared: Pulao, Tahiri, Khichdi

One pot, one hour, one sink

The best argument for a one-pot dinner is not flavour but the washing up. After a long day, a single pot and a spoon is a kinder dinner than three pans. Pakistani cooking has an old tradition of exactly this: rice cooked together with vegetables, lentils or meat so the whole meal sits in one pot.

But "one-pot rice" covers dishes of very different effort. Here are five from our library, side by side, so you can choose by how tired you are rather than by name.

The comparison

The times are from each recipe page, and where a page lists a soak, that waiting is passive. Tahiri's long prep, for example, is mostly waiting.

Khichdi: for the night you can barely cook

Khichdi is 150 g (0.75 cup) of rice and 150 g (0.75 cup) of split mung beans, turmeric, and a ghee-and-cumin tarka. There is no soaking and almost no chopping. It tastes mild and soft, and it is the right dish for a rainy night, or for a person who is unwell.

Its weakness is that it is not a feast. Serve it with yogurt, pickle or fried papad to make it feel like a meal.

Sabzi pulao: for the night you have vegetables to use

Sabzi pulao uses 400 g (2 cups) of rice with potato, carrot and peas fried with whole spices, then steamed. The recipe page notes that it is a common way to use up leftover vegetables in a Pakistani kitchen. This is a dish to cook with whatever vegetables are in the fridge, within reason: firm vegetables work better than watery ones.

Matar pulao: for the night you want fragrance

Matar pulao is the simplest of the "proper" pulaos: 400 g (2 cups) of basmati, 200 g (1.5 cups) of peas, a sliced onion, ginger-garlic and whole spices (bay leaf, cloves, cardamom). It takes more care than khichdi, mainly to avoid mushy rice. Soak the rice for 20 minutes, measure the water exactly as the recipe says, and leave the lid on while it rests.

Tahiri: for the night you have time but not much money

Tahiri is a yellow rice from Karachi and Urdu-speaking homes: 300 g (1.6 cups) of rice with two potatoes cut into 3 cm pieces and 100 g (0.75 cup) of peas, coloured with turmeric. It uses pantry staples and, once it is on the heat, needs little attention. The recipe lists 40 minutes of prep, and the rice soaks for 30 of those, so much of that time is waiting. Serve with raita, pickle or plain yogurt.

Chicken pulao: for the night you want a proper dinner

Chicken pulao uses 700 g (1.5 lb) of bone-in chicken braised with yogurt and whole spices, then layered with 400 g (2 cups) of basmati and steamed. It is the longest here at about 70 minutes in total, and it is the only one where food safety needs a thermometer: the chicken must reach 74 C (165 F) at the thickest piece. The rice steams over the chicken stock, so it is worth the time.

How to choose

Ask yourself two questions.

1. How much attention can I give for the next 30 minutes? If the answer is "almost none", choose khichdi or tahiri. If you can stand at the stove for 10 minutes, choose a pulao.
2. Does anyone need a protein? Khichdi has lentils, and chicken pulao has chicken. The vegetable pulaos need a side of daal, egg or yogurt to balance them.

Common one-pot problems

• Mushy rice. Too much water, too much stirring, or lifting the lid too often. Measure the water, and leave it alone once it covers.
• Burnt bottom. The pot is too thin or the flame is too high. Use a heavy-bottomed pot, and drop to the lowest heat once it comes to a boil. A tawa under the pot helps.
• Bland rice. Salt the water so it tastes pleasantly salty before the rice goes in.
• Uneven cooking. Cut potatoes and carrots to the same size so they cook together.

Pot size matters

A 4-serving pulao with 400 g of rice needs a pot of around 4 to 5 litres (4 to 5 quarts), because rice expands. A pot that is too small spills or cooks unevenly. Our pressure cooker size post has more on this.

Storing and reheating

Cool rice dishes quickly and put them in the fridge within about an hour. Eat within a day. Reheat until steaming hot (75 C or 165 F), with a splash of water to keep the rice from drying. Do not leave a pulao on the counter overnight.

A one-pot week

If you are not sure which one the pantry can support today, Degchi's pantry matching can show which dishes you have the ingredients for. Try the pantry demo for a quick look, with no sign-up.