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Rice pilau is a popular dish in Africa and Asia, and it’s quick and easy to make at home whether you’re an experienced chef or just starting out. This is a perfect side dish for chicken, beef, or vegetable entrees, and can be mixed with meat or creamy sauces. Traditional pilau includes plenty of spices to give the rice a bold flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (175 g) of long-grain white or brown rice
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of butter
- ½ cup (62.5 g) of cashews, whole
- 1 teaspoon (2.1 g) of cumin
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) of cardamom spice
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of curry powder
- ½ teaspoon (1.05 g) of star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon (1.05 g) of smoked paprika
- ½ of a medium onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon (2.84 g) of salt
- 1.75 cups (410 mL) of chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth
- ½ of a medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
Steps
Mixing the Spices, Vegetables, and Rice
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1Rinse the rice in a strainer under cool, running water. Place 1 cup (175 g) of long-grain white or brown rice in the strainer and hold it under the water. The water straining through the rice will look hazy. Rinse the rice until the water running out of the bottom of the strainer is mostly clear, and set the strainer aside until you’re ready to toast the rice.[1]
- The water won’t become completely clear, but it will become much clearer than when you began rinsing the rice.
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2Melt the butter over medium heat and toast the cashews for 2 minutes. Place 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of butter in a medium saucepan. Let the butter melt completely and coat the bottom of the pan. Then, pour in ½ cup (62.5 g) of whole cashews and stir them as they toast in the butter.[2]
- For a lighter, more Mediterranean dish, you can use 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil instead of butter.
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3Cook the spices in the melted butter for 1 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon (2.1 g) of cumin, ½ teaspoon (1 g) of cardamom spice, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of curry powder, ½ teaspoon (1.05 g) of star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon (1.05 g) of smoked paprika to the saucepan. Stir them to coat the spices in butter, and let them cook for about 1 minute.[3]
- As you’re cooking the spices in the butter, keep the heat at a medium level to release all of the flavor.
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4Saute the diced onion and chopped red pepper on low for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a low setting, and use a wooden spoon to stir in ½ of a medium onion and ½ of a medium red bell pepper. Continue stirring until the onion becomes translucent, but not brown. This should take around 3-4 minutes, and the vegetables should be aromatic.[4]
Tip: You can also add other vegetables to your rice pilau, such as a bag of frozen peas, button mushrooms, or even carrots.
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5Stir the rice into the saucepan to toast for 3 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan directly from the strainer as you increase the heat to medium, and stir immediately with a wooden spoon. Coat the rice with the butter and cook until the tips of the rice turn translucent, which should take 3-4 minutes. Continuously stir the rice to make sure it doesn’t burn.[5]
- There should be a fragrant, nutty smell when the rice is sufficiently toasted.
Steaming the Rice
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1Pour 1.75 cups (410 mL) of broth into the pan and bring to a boil. Select a broth, and pour it into the pan carefully. Increase the heat to medium high, and stir in ½ teaspoon (2.84 g) of salt, combining the rice, vegetables, and broth. Bring the broth to a boil and place the lid on the pan.[6]
- After you stir the salt in, you don’t need to continue stirring the mixture while the broth boils.
Choosing a Broth
Opt for chicken broth if your main dish contains chicken.
Choose beef broth for a heartier rice or for a beef-based dish.
Select vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.
Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of water with 3⁄4 cup (180 mL) of broth to cut down on sodium.
- After you stir the salt in, you don’t need to continue stirring the mixture while the broth boils.
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2Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes without lifting the lid. As soon as the broth begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and let the rice cook. The pot will fill with steam to cook the rice and vegetables thoroughly, so don’t lift the lid as the rice is cooking![7]
- Be sure to check the packaging of your rice to see how long you should cook it. Adjust cooking times as needed according to the package directions.
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3Remove the pan from heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes to steam. Turn off the stove and transfer the saucepan to a cool burner. Avoid opening the lid, since the rice is still cooking. Set a timer and carefully and quickly remove the lid after 10 minutes.[8]
- Keep in mind that there may still be some steam in the pan! It probably won’t be very hot, but try to remove the lid quickly to avoid getting burned.
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4Fluff the rice with a fork and serve! After you remove the lid, stir the rice with a fork to break up any clumps and to mix the vegetables and spices. Use the fork to remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaf, and discard them. Serve the rice directly from the pan, or place it in a bowl with a spoon to let guests serve themselves.[9]
- Try serving the rice with chicken, beef, or other vegetables.
- If you have leftover rice pilau, use an airtight container to store the rice in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhere can I get these ingredients?
Community AnswerYou can get the ingredients from a grocery store. You can also go to Indian shops.
Warnings
- Be careful when lifting the lid off of the saucepan. The steam may still be very hot!⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Strainer
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Fork
References
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-simple-rice-pilaf-227729
- ↑ https://www.africanbites.com/east-african-pelau/
- ↑ https://www.africanbites.com/east-african-pelau/
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/rice-pilaf-recipe2-2012322
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-simple-rice-pilaf-227729
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-simple-rice-pilaf-227729
- ↑ https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/rice_pilaf/
- ↑ https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/rice_pilaf/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-simple-rice-pilaf-227729
About This Article
To make rice pilau, start by toasting some cashews in melted butter over medium heat for 2 minutes. Then, add cumin, cardamom spice, curry powder, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and smoked paprika to the saucepan, and cook everything for 1 minute. Next, add diced onion and chopped red pepper, lower the heat, and saute the vegetables for 3 minutes. Finally, add rice and broth to the pan and simmer everything for 15-20 minutes, letting the dish sit covered for 10 minutes before serving. To learn how to serve your rice pilau, scroll down!
