Shahi Pulao
A royal rice affair
Get directions ↗ · 2 min walk from Grand Mercure
Last orders 30 minutes before closing
Dine-in · takeaway · delivery via GrabFood and LINE MAN
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this pulao 'Shahi' (royal)?
The thick inclusion of rich ingredients like cashews, raisins, almonds, paneer, and good-quality saffron.
Is this dish sweet?
It has a subtle underlying sweetness from the dried fruits, balanced by savory whole spices.
Does it contain dairy?
Yes, it contains paneer(cottage cheese) and is cooked in pure ghee.
Are there any artificial food colors used?
No, the golden tint is derived entirely from natural saffron strands.
Can the nuts be omitted?
Because the nuts are a core component cooked into the dish, we cannot completely guarantee a nut-free version of this specific item.
About Shahi Pulao
Shahi pulao takes its name from the royal kitchens of the Mughal court, where "shahi" marked the richer preparations set apart by ghee, saffron, nuts and dried fruit. It belongs to the same one-pot pulao tradition as the plainer versions but is dressed up for the table, a gentle, faintly sweet rice meant to accompany the heavier gravies of Mughlai cooking rather than to stand as a spicy dish in its own right.
BHARAT prepares it in that Mughlai style. Aged basmati is cooked in one pot with cashew, raisin and whole spices in pure ghee, with cubes of paneer set fresh in-house each day folded in. Saffron-milk is added at the dum stage, which is where the rice takes on its pale yellow tint, so the colour comes entirely from saffron strands rather than any artificial colouring. The spice blend is ground fresh that morning, and the dish is made by a chef from Uttarakhand trained in India who works without pre-made pastes.
The character is mild and lightly sweet, the sweetness coming from the raisins and balanced by the savoury whole spices, with the cashews adding crunch and the paneer adding soft richness. The grains stay separate and carry the perfume of saffron and ghee. Because the dish contains paneer and is cooked in ghee, it includes dairy.
It is best paired with a rich Mughlai gravy, where its gentle sweetness offsets a deeply spiced curry. The nuts are cooked into the dish as a core component, so a fully nut-free version cannot be guaranteed; anyone with an allergy should let the server know before ordering.
The dining room seats 30-40 across two styles — standard tables and Dastarkhan-style floor seating. Quiet on weekday lunches, busy from 7 PM. Visit BHARAT →
See also: the Rice & Biryani menu · Indian vegetarian food in Bangkok · our fresh paneer dishes · halal-friendly kitchen.