Middle Eastern Raisin Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Wash rice well. Place 2 cups rice in a rice maker (or pot), add 4 cups water, or enough water to just cover the rice with no grains sticking out.
• Add raisins, salt, cinnamon, saffron (optional) and then drizzle olive oil around in a circle over the rice mixture. Mix well with spoon so rice and ingredients are blended together. There should be enough cinnamon added to give off a strong scent of cinnamon. Adjust amount as needed.
• Cook rice in rice maker or pot and after rice is cooked, stir ingredients together one more time. Spoon onto large platter and serve with plain, nonfat yogurt.

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, cook onion in oil till crisp-tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add broth, rice, lentils, potato, carrot, raisins, and seasonings.
• Cook until rice and lentils are almost tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in the bell pepper and peas.
• Cover and cook about 5-10 minutes more, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice and lentils are tender.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
• I sometimes use this rice to make stuffed peppers.
• I put rice in peppers and pour canned spaghetti sauce (I usually add about 1/8 cup water to this) over, cover and bake about 45 to 60 minutes.
• I also use leftover rice to make veggie burgers.
• Enjoy!
• For Vegetarian/Vegan do not use chicken broth.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, stirring, until tender. Stir in the rice, raisins, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Stir in almonds before serving.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in rice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, then pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
• Place the turkey in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
• Gently mix cooked turkey, garbanzo beans, black beans, cilantro, parsley, and pine nuts into the cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Brown meat,on all sides in 1 tbsp butter.
• Add seasoning to meat and stir. Pour three cups boiling water over the meat. Cover and let cook for one hour on a medium high heat, 'til the meat is done. Measure the broth left in a measuring cup. Add enough water to make up 3 cups of liquid.
• Stir onions and garlic with 1/2 tablespoon hot melted butter, till slightly brown.
• Add the meat and the liquid to the onion mixture. Stir tomato paste over. Bring to boil then add the rice and raisins.
• Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Let cook for 30 minutes. Open the pan and stir just the top layer. See if rice is cooked. You may need to cook, covered, a few minutes longer.
• Serve rice and garnish with the meat and nuts.
• Serve with plain Yogurt and mixed green salad.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion, stir and cook until wilted. Add the rice, raisins, almonds, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir and blend well.
• Add the broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 17 minutes or until tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
• Stir in the butter and coriander and serve.

Steps:

• FOR THE LAMB CHOPS: Season chops with all of the above and place in broiler.
• When the tops are browned, turn the chops, season the other side, and broil that side until browned.
• Transfer to a serving dish and serve.
• FOR THE MIDDLE EASTERN RICE: Prepare the rice as directed on the box.
• Add the 2 tablespoons of butter, the cumin, the raisins, the aniseed, the sugar, the salt and pepper to taste, lime juice and the cooked rice.
• Stir in the eggs and continue stirring until the eggs are mixed into the rice and the eggs are solidified.
• Remove from heat and add the crushed toasted sunflower seeds or pine nuts.
• Fluff with a fork, transfer to a serving dish, and serve.

Steps:

• In a saute pan heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil. Saute the basmati rice in the oil for 5 minutes or until light golden brown; stirring constantly.
• Pour in the broth and add the salt. Cook covered over low heat for about 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
• While the rice is cooking, lightly toast the walnuts then chop coarsely. Chop the dill.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the walnuts, dill, raisins, lemon zest, vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
• Serve hot.