Pilau rice is a classic Middle Eastern dish that is made with fragrant rice, nuts, and spices. It is a popular dish for special occasions and is often served with grilled meats or stews. This recipe collection features three delicious variations of pilau rice: a traditional Persian pilau rice with pistachios and pine nuts, a flavorful Turkish pilau rice with almonds and currants, and a hearty Pakistani pilau rice with chicken and vegetables. Each recipe is easy to follow and packed with flavor, making them perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight meal.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
PILAU RICE WITH PISTACHIOS AND AND PINE NUTS
This is a fantastic flavorful side that I found in one of my favorite cookbooks by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, "American Home Cooking". They're all great!
Provided by SRC4450
Categories Rice
Time 20m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring the rice, chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of the butter and the salt to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.
- Set timer for 18 minutes.
- Meanwhile saute the remainder of butter, the pine nuts, mace and pistachios in a large skillet until they are golden brown.
- After rice is cooked, set it aside with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and scoop into the skillet, tossing with the pistachios and pine nuts.
RICE PILAF WITH PINE NUTS
Provided by Amy Finley
Categories Onion Rice Side Quick & Easy Pine Nut Low Cholesterol Sugar Conscious Kidney Friendly Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff rice with fork; add pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper.
PISTACHIO PILAU RICE
This lightly spiced, vibrant side dish is the perfect accompaniment to curry
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Dinner, Side dish
Time 25m
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Fry the onion in the oil in a large frying pan or saucepan until softened. Stir in the turmeric, then the rice, and keep stirring until the grains are golden.
- Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 15 mins until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and stir through the spring onions, pistachios and some seasoning before serving hot, or allowing to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 255 calories, Fat 7 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 45 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 6 grams protein, Sodium 0.25 milligram of sodium
RICE PILAF WITH PISTACHIOS AND GOLDEN RAISINS
Categories Rice Side Quick & Easy Raisin Pistachio Gourmet Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added
Yield Serves 2
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a small heavy saucepan cook the onion with the turmeric and the cardamom in 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the rice and cook it, stirring, until it is coated with the butter. Add the broth, bring the liquid to a boil, covered, and simmer the mixture for 17 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir in the pistachios, the raisins, the scallion greens, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
RICE PILAF WITH PISTACHIOS AND ALMONDS
This dish is inspired by a number of Persian rice pilafs, but it's simpler, and calls for much less butter than an authentic Persian pilaf. There are sweet and tart flavors at play here, especially if you use barberries, but apricots also have a tart edge to them. Rose water makes the pilaf wonderfully fragrant.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories side dish
Time 35m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Place rice in a bowl in the sink and rinse several times with water, or soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain.
- Heat water or stock to a bare simmer in a saucepan or in microwave.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, butter or ghee in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add onion and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate, dry and beginning to crackle. Add hot water or stock, rose water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Uncover rice and place a clean towel over the top of the pan (it should not be touching the rice). Replace lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of oil, butter or ghee over medium heat in a medium frying pan or saucepan and add the nuts. Cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, and add spices and barberries or dried apricots. Continue to cook for another minute, until the spices smell fragrant, and remove from the heat. Immediately scrape over the rice.
- Pile the pilaf onto a platter or into a wide bowl and toss to incorporate the nut and spice mixture. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 343, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 46 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 463 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients. The flavor of your pilau rice will be greatly influenced by the quality of the ingredients you use. Choose fragrant, long-grain rice, such as basmati or jasmine rice. Use fresh, flavorful spices and nuts, and make sure your stock or broth is of good quality.
- Don't skimp on the spices. Spices are what give pilau rice its distinctive flavor. Be generous with your measurements, and don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations of spices. Common spices used in pilau rice include cumin, coriander, cardamom, and turmeric.
- Toast the nuts and spices before using them. Toasting the nuts and spices will bring out their flavor and make them more fragrant. You can toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are golden brown and fragrant.
- Cook the rice in a flavorful liquid. Instead of water, use a flavorful liquid such as chicken broth, vegetable broth, or coconut milk to cook the rice. This will add more flavor to the rice.
- Let the rice rest before serving. Once the rice is cooked, let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the rice to absorb all the flavors from the spices and nuts.