- Prep. Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/2 cups
According to Wikipedia, “The English term pilaf is borrowed directly from Turkish, which in turn comes from (classical) Persian, Bangla polaao, Urdu pulao, and Hindi pulav, and ultimately derives from Sanskrit pulaka. Depending on the local cuisine, it may also contain a variety of meats and vegetables.”
Pilafs are common to Middle Eastern, Central and South Asian, East African, Latin American, and Caribbean cuisines.
Please note that the stuff that comes in boxes, e.g., from Near East and Zatarain’s brands, is not pilaf. Those are simply seasoned, parboiled rice.
This recipe is the most basic version of rice pilaf. You can add toasted almonds, pine nuts (pignoli), peas, garlic, red bell peppers, rosemary, parsley, or any variety of embellishments.
For a Moroccan flair, add raisins, orange rind, a cinnamon stick, and a few whole cloves. The aroma is heavenly. Try this robust meal with my recipe for Maple Brandy Roasted Duck with Dirty Rice Pilaf. Note: If you are cooking pilaf or any rice dish at high altitudes, you may have to adjust the volume of liquid necessary in order to achieve a light, fluffy rice grain.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup of basmati or other long-grain white rice
- 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cube of chicken bouillon
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, over medium heat, warm the butter and olive oil. Fry the onion until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, stir well to coat all grains, and toast until slightly brown, about another 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add the chicken broth and chicken bouillon, stir, and cover. Add salt, if necessary, once the bouillon has dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Serve as an accompanying side dish to any roasted, grilled, or pan-fried meat, poultry, or fish.
- For a nice vegetarian meal, try serving rice pilaf as a side to grilled eggplant, Greek-style okra, or zucchini.
