Here are 22 best side dishes for you to make with Pulao. Not only does it pair well, many of these dishes use the same ingredients that go into making Pulaos. This means that you will be planning an entire menu at once and save yourself time, money and household chores!
What Is Pulao?
Pulav, also spelled pilaf and plov, is one of the most popular rice-based dishes in Central Asia, South Asia and other neighboring regions. It is often served with kebabs and other grilled meats.
The rice dish is made with spices, meat or vegetables and bone broth. The type of pulav you make will determine what you serve it with. A vegetarian version can be served alongside lentils or vegetable curries. Meat-based versions are often served alongside naan bread or roti breads that have been cooked on a tandoori oven or flat-top grill.
Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Pulao?
In order to make your pulao more delicious, you need to serve it with side dishes. This will make the whole meal much more enjoyable for everyone who eats it by adding a variety of different flavors and textures to it. Here are some reasons why consider serving side dishes for pulao:
1. It adds variety
When you serve side dishes along with your main course, you add variety to your meal which makes it more interesting and fun for everyone who eats it. You can choose from various vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower or carrots and also from different sauces like tomato sauce or butter sauce to give your pulao a new flavor every time!
2. It makes healthy eating easier
Side dishes make healthy eating easier because they provide a lot of nutrients without making you feel too full after eating them! You can choose from different vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium and even fiber. The best part about it is that you can easily make healthy eating easier by simply adding a side dish to your pulao!
What to Serve with Pulao? 22 BEST Side Dishes
1. Mughlai Paratha
The perfect accompaniment to pulao is this stuffed flatbread made with wholewheat flour and stuffed with potatoes and peas, and fried in ghee till crisp. It has a rich, earthy flavour that goes well with the mild flavours of pulao.
2. Peas Pulao
Peas pulao is a rice dish made with peas as an ingredient. The rice is cooked with peas and other spices and garnished with cilantro leaves and lemon juice. It is an easy to make recipe that will keep you full for long hours. The best thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared easily even by children as there is no saffron or yogurt required in this recipe to make it more flavorful.
3. Tomato Onion Salad
Tomato Onion Salad is a simple and easy to make side dish for pulao. This is a delicious combination of tomatoes, onions and cucumber which can be served with any meal.
4. Cucumber Raita
Cucumber Raita is a popular Indian side dish made by blending fresh cucumbers with yogurt, mint leaves and spices. The cooling combination of yogurt and cucumber is sure to please your taste buds with this simple yet tasty dish.
5. Boondi Raita
This is a great side dish for pulao. Boondi raita is made with chickpea flour, water and yogurt to make a thick paste. This is mixed with chopped cucumber and tomato, onions, coriander leaves and lemon juice.
6. Mint Chutney
Mint chutney is the perfect accompaniment for any Indian meal, especially rice dishes like dal makhani and kadhi pakora. It can also be served with chaat items like samosa, sev puri, papdi chaat etc.
7. Chole
Onions are often used as an accompaniment to rice preparations in India, especially when they are cooked with meat or poultry. This recipe of spicy onions goes very well with any rice dish like Pulao or Biryani.
8. Palak Paneer
Palak paneer is one of the most popular dishes from north India. It is made by simmering spinach and pieces of paneer, a fresh Indian cheese. The dish is usually served with roti or naan (bread). This recipe is easy to make and uses simple ingredients. You can add other vegetables like potatoes and cauliflower to the dish if you want a complete meal.
9. Paneer Bhurji
Paneer bhurji is another popular Indian dish that uses paneer as its main ingredient. It is basically scrambled paneer cubes cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste and spices. You can also add other veggies like bell peppers or carrots to this dish to make it more nutritious.
10. Stir-fried Okra with Tomatoes and Onions
Okra is one of my favorite vegetables to eat. It tastes great when cooked in any way and goes well with almost any recipe. This stir-fried okra dish with onions and tomatoes is one of my favorites because it takes only minutes to make!
11. Fried Potatoes
Potatoes are always a good option for serving with pulaos, especially if you’re making it for guests. This recipe is quite easy to make and tastes great when paired with chicken pulao or fish pulao.
12. Curd mixed with roasted papad
This tangy curd and papad combination is perfect for a quick snack. You can also add some chopped onions and tomatoes to the mix for extra flavor.
13. Aloo Tomato Sabzi
This traditional Indian recipe is made using potatoes, tomatoes, onions and spices. It makes a great accompaniment to any kind of rice dish, especially pulao!
14. Ghee Rice
Ghee Rice is a traditional pulao recipe, which is made with basmati rice and ghee. Ghee rice is usually accompanied by dahi vada or papadum. It is one of the best side dishes for pulao.
15. Dahi vada
Dahi vada is a popular street food from Maharashtra, India. It is made from lentils, potatoes and curd (yogurt). The consistency of this dish is similar to doughnut batter. It has a soft texture inside and crispy on the outside. To make it more interesting we add a few spices like cumin seeds and coriander seeds powder.
16. Egg Curry
Egg curry is a spicy dish which can be enjoyed with your pulao. The egg curry recipe uses all the spices in a unique way which gives a very different taste from other curries.
17. Chicken Handi Biryani
Biryani is one of the most popular Indian dishes which is made with layers of rice and meat. Chicken handi biryani has a rich flavourful gravy that enhances the taste of the meat.
18. Vegetable Pickle
This tangy and spicy pickle is a great accompaniment to any meal. It’s also very easy to make, so you can make it at home without too much effort. It’s best made the day before you want to eat it, so this is the perfect recipe for when you have some time on your hands.
19. Boiled Chickpeas
Chickpeas are legumes that are very nutritious and filling, especially when cooked for a long time like this recipe. They are also known as garbanzo beans, ceci beans and gram beans.
20. Dum aloo Kashmiri
Dum aloo is a very popular dish in the Punjab. It is a rich combination of potatoes and spices. Dum means to cook in a sealed pot for long hours over low heat, which makes the vegetables soft and flavorful. Served with Pulao or plain rice with raita, it makes for a complete meal.
21. Veggie Salad with Yogurt Dressing
Yogurt is the base ingredient in this raita recipe. You can add any vegetables of your choice, such as carrots, cucumber and green beans. The crunchy texture of these veggies will go well with the softness of the rice.
22. Sour Chutney for Chaats and Fries
This simple chutney recipe is very easy to make and tastes delicious with snacks like chaats and fries. You can also use it as a spread on bread sandwiches or burgers.
Tips For Choosing Your Best Side Dishes
Side dishes are an important part of every Indian meal. I feel that there is no Indian food without a side dish.
Side dishes are usually made from vegetables and lentils, but you can also make them with paneer, potatoes, and other non-vegetarian ingredients. These side dishes are prepared in different ways to suit the taste of your family members.
Here are some tips for choosing your best side dishes for pulao:
- Think about what you would like to serve with your pulao. If it’s a vegetable dish, then choose one that goes well with vegetables like paneer curry or potato curry. You can also serve kadhi with pulao as it has a mild flavour and goes well with any kind of main course dish including dal fry, biryani etc.
- If you want to go for a non-vegetarian main dish like chicken or fish curry then choose a side dish like chicken 65 or fried fish which has its own unique flavour and taste so that they don’t overpower each other while eating together.
- If you are serving fish curry with pulao, then you can choose a side dish that goes with vegetables like carrots or green peas for balance. You can also serve vegetable curry with dal fry or chicken curry rather than the pulao since it has a much fuller flavour and taste.
Conclusion
If you want to get the best out of Pulao recipes, don’t forget to try these incredible side dishes! They will add a new flavor and taste to the main meal. The best thing about these recipes is that they are very delicious. Hope you will love them all!
