Corn pulao recipe with video & step by step photos. Simple, flavorful and delicious sweet corn pulao that is kids friendly. This corn pulao can be made in a jiffy anytime and also goes well in school or office lunch box. Sweet corn is one of the kids’ favorite veggies and will be loved in any form, so I make sweet corn dishes often for their school box.

There are different ways of making corn pulao. One way is to just add corn and skip all veggies from this regular Veg pulao recipe. The one shared today is the other way I make. It can be made in a pressure cooker or pot.
Often my boys complain of the onions and the tomatoes in the food especially in the school box, so I prefer making a paste of the onion along with mint, ginger garlic which adds a great aroma & taste to pulao or biryani recipes.
Since there will be no chopped onions used, little bit of time is saved which goes for frying the onions. I have used frozen corn, you can also use corn on the cob.
Preparation
1. Wash and soak rice for at least 30 mins. If you running short of time, you can also soak it in hot water for 10 mins. Use up the same water to cook corn pulao. Drain the rice and keep it ready to use.
2. Add onions, ginger garlic, chili and mint or pudina to a mixer jar or hand pestle.

3. Make a fine paste without adding water.

How to make sweet corn pulao
4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or pot. Add shahi jeera or jeera, cloves, bay leaf, cardamoms and cinnamon. I used ceylon cinnamon/ true cinnamon so used more. If using cassia cinnamon just a small piece is enough.

5. Add the onion mint paste along with red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala or pulao masala.

6. Saute this on a medium heat for 2 to 3 mins until the raw smell of onions has gone away.

7. Add corn, green peas and saute for 2 to 3 mins.

8. Transfer drained rice and gently saute on a high flame for 2 mins. Do not over mix the rice, grains will break.
9. Pour water and add salt.

10. Mix well and check the salt.

11. Cook on a medium heat for 1 whistle.

12. When the pressure goes down, fluff up the rice gently.

Serve corn pulao with some raita and papads.

Corn pulao can be served alone without any sides, but a bowl of Raita, a plate of sliced carrots, cucumbers, some papads or even plain yogurt/ curd will compliment the meal.
For more Sweet corn recipes, you can check
Corn cutlet
Corn pakoda
Sweet corn soup
Corn fried rice

Corn pulao (Sweet corn pulao)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for corn pulao
- 1 cup basmati rice or premium sona masuri
- 1½ cups water for basmathi (for other kinds of rice use as needed)
- 1 cup sweet corn (corn from cob or frozen)
- ½ cup green peas (optional)
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil (use oil if making for lunch box)
- 1 small bay leaf
- 3 green cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 4 cloves
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon jeera or shahi jeera
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (use green chili for more heat)
- ¾ teaspoon garam masala (or pulao masala)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (adjust to taste)
Ingredients for the paste
- 1 medium onion cubed (remove the basal stem to avoid bitter taste)
- 1 inch ginger piece or slice of ginger
- ½ to ¾ cup mint (pudina leaves)
- 1 green chili (skip if using for kids)
- 2 large garlic cloves or 3 medium
Instructions
Preparation for corn pulao
- Wash and soak rice for at least 30 mins. To speed up the process you can soak in slightly hot water for 10 mins and drain the water.
- Make a fine paste of the cubed onions, ginger, garlic, chili and mint leaves without adding water.
- Make sure you remove the basal stem of the onion to prevent it from turning bitter.
How to make corn pulao
- Heat a pressure cooker or pot with oil.
- Add bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and jeera. Saute until they begin to crackle.
- Add the onion mint paste along with red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala.
- Saute this on a medium heat until the raw smell of the onion goes away. This takes about 2 to 3 mins.
- Do not over fry this as it can leave a bitter taste. You will also see the oil or ghee separating once fried well.
- Add corn, peas and saute for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add drained rice and gently saute on a high flame for 1 to 2 mins. Do not over do as the rice breaks up.
- Pour water and add salt. Stir and cook on a medium high heat for 1 whistle.
- When the pressure comes down fluff up the corn pulao and allow to cool down a bit.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and garnish corn pulao with coriander leaves.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

Hi,
I made this recipe last night, My family loved it. They are not so good eaters and usually there will be lot of leftovers, somwhow last night they savoured this corn pulao entirely and I was so happy.
All this aside, there’s cardamom mentioned on the ingredients list and was never mentioned on the recipe, just wanted to get a confirmation on that.
Thanks in advance if you would reply 😉
Hi Soujanya
Welcome!! Glad your family loved it. Thanks much for leaving a comment. Cardamoms go with the other whole spices. I fixed it.
🙂
This looks awesome. Im. Trying today!
Btw which mixie is that? The jar is so cute!
Hi Jc
Thank you! That’s a ultra mixie.
Hi. Can i ask you a personal question? What are the recipes which are less popular in your blog but are amazing and worth giving a try? I have tried many of ur non veg, veg curries, Andhra recipes. I want to make the hidden gems in your blog too!
Hi Shanti,
Thank you so much for trying the recipes. Here are some personal favorites and not popular
Peanut chutney
methi chutney
instant moong dal dosa
mushroom sandwich
Oats chivda
Hope you will enjoy them
🙂
Can I substitute something else for mint.
You can try with 1/2 cup coriander leaves.
Thank you
Really nice blog. Thanks for sharing healthy recipes.
Yummy. Very interesting and very simple. I’ll try this evening for dinner.
Thank you