Kaju Badam Pulao Recipe for Bhai Dooj

by Pradeep Gupta on Oct 24, 2026

Pehle tika. Phir kaju ki chori.

Serve a festive Bhai Dooj meal with kaju badam pulao. Dinesh Flour Mills basmati rice is cooked with cumin and finished with golden cashews and sliced almonds for a simple centrepiece.

Bhai Dooj meals often have a little friendly competition around the table. In this kaju badam pulao, the golden cashews may disappear first. The recipe keeps the rice lightly seasoned so the toasted nuts remain the main flavour.

Cook the rice gently, toast the nuts separately and bring them together at the end. This keeps the almonds and cashews from softening too much during cooking. It also gives the finished pulao a clean, festive appearance without a long list of spices.

Recipe at a glance

Makes: 3 servings
Time: Prep 10 minutes, plus 20 minutes soaking; cook 15–18 minutes; rest 10 minutes
Measure used: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml.

Ingredients

1 cup DFM basmati rice
1 tbsp DFM ghee
2 tbsp DFM cashews
2 tbsp DFM almonds, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 3/4 cups water, adjusted to your rice variety
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

How to make kaju badam pulao

Step 1

Rinse rice, soak for 20 minutes and drain thoroughly.

Step 2

Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Toast cashews and almonds over low-medium heat until lightly golden, then remove and set aside.

Step 3

Add cumin to the same pan. When it sizzles, add rice and stir gently for 1 minute.

Step 4

Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12–15 minutes, until rice is tender and the water is absorbed.

Step 5

Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes. Fluff gently and fold in most of the nuts. Garnish with the remainder.

Tips for getting it right

Use a heavy pan and a close-fitting lid to help the rice cook evenly.
Toast nuts over moderate heat and remove them just before they look fully golden; they continue colouring briefly.
Keep most of the nuts aside until the rice has rested.
Fluff with a fork using gentle lifting movements rather than stirring hard.
For an optional variation, add 1 tbsp raisins to the ghee briefly before cooking the rice. Raisins are not part of the base recipe or image requirement.

Serving suggestions

Serve with paneer gravy, a vegetable curry or plain curd. Scatter the reserved nuts over the top just before bringing the bowl to the table.

Storing and reheating

Serve fresh where possible. Cool leftover rice quickly in a shallow container and refrigerate at 4°C or below, preferably within one hour. Use within 24 hours and reheat once until steaming hot throughout.