Persian Style Basmati Rice Pilaf Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; add in onions and almonds, saute for 6-7 minutes or until the onion are tender and the almonds are golden, adding in the fresh garlic the last 2-3 minutes of sautéing.
• Stir in rice, raisins, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and broth; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat.
• Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender.
• Season with black pepper.

Steps:

• For a perfect rice, place your rice in a colander or a large pot and rinse it in cold water at least 3 times- using your hand to swish the rice about. Place the colander in a bowl of cold water, enough to cover the rice and allow it to set for 30 minutes. This will rid the rice of the extra starch that rubs off in the packaging and makes your rice stick together. It also reduces the cooking time.
• Place the chicken stock in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Add in all of your spices and olive oil; set aside the almonds, tomatoes and scallions for later. Stir well to combine.
• Drain all the water you can off the rice, add to chicken stock mixture; cover and bring the rice to a full boil. From here on, do not remove the lid! Reduce heat to a low simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed. This can take 10 to 15 minutes.
• Do not remove the lid! Turn off the heat and drape the pot/lid with a towel and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove the towel and the lid. Add in the almonds, tomatoes, peas and scallions. Taste for seasoning and do not be afraid to add more salt, Advieh and/or Koubideh spice. The amount you add will depend on your taste. VERY gently fold everything into the rice and cover until serving time.
• This rice is fantastic served at room temperature and it is great for potlucks, picnics and get togethers. Since this dish contains no meat, you can safely allow it to cool to room temperature, cover tightly and leave on your counter top over night. So, this dish can be made the day before an event, as I have done so many, many times. The KEY is let it reach room temperature BEFORE covering it.

Steps:

• To wash or not to wash rice? In the case of basmati, no matter what my preparation is, I always wash it. It cleans out any small particles and it also rids the rice of any starch on the grain. This starch makes the rice gummier when cooked.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, add the rice and 4 cups of cold water. Soak the rice for 1/2 hour.
• In a small bowl, add the cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a baking sheet and put it in the center of the oven to lightly toast the spices and awaken the flavors, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the spices to cool.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and the onion. Season with salt and cook until the onions are translucent but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice but reserve the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear the rice crackling, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved soaking water. Season with a generous portion of salt and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook the rice over medium-low heat, uncovered and undisturbed, for about 8 minutes. Take a fork (so as not to damage the rice) and flake a few grains off to taste for doneness. It may need to be cooked another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to "rest" (as you would a roast beef) for 10 minutes before "forking" it gently into a serving bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, if desired, and serve.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
• Saute the onion and almonds over medium heat until onion is soft (not brown) and the almonds are golden.
• Stir in rice; cook stirring for about 4 minutes to release flavor.
• Stir in chopped carrot, currants, orange peel, cinnamon, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Carefully stir in chicken broth and water into the rice mixture, stir slightly with a wooden spoon.
• Bring to a boil, and reduce heat.
• Cover the saucepan and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
• Season with salt.

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a rolling boil in a large saucepan.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves, cracked peppercorns, cardamom seeds, and juniper berries.
• Add two cups of basmati or other long-grain rice, slowly, so the water doesn't stop boiling. Cook for about eight to ten minutes, stirring from time to time to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom, until the rice is just barely done.
• Pour everything into a strainer or colander and let the rice drain. Leave the spices in the rice.
• While the rice is boiling, chop the dried fruit. Throw the fruit on top of the rice draining in the colander.
• Thinly slice one-half of a large onion and sauté it until golden in 5T of unsalted butter with several pinches of saffron or one teaspoon of turmeric.
• While onions are cooking, grease a round casserole with a bit of butter and turn the spiced rice and fruit into a large bowl.
• Turn the golden onions into the bowl and mix everything up.
• Spoon the mixture into the casserole and pat the rice firmly in place with the back of a spoon.
• Drizzle 3 Tbsp of melted butter over the top and cover with two thicknesses of aluminum foil and seal the edges well. Add a lid if your casserole has one. Set the casserole in a preheated 350°F oven and let it bake for an hour.
• Then remove it from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes or so before removing the foil and unmolding it onto a platter. (Lay the platter on top of the rice and, using a thick dishcloth or potholders, flip the thing over).
• Surround with the Persian chicken.

Steps:

• In a medium pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 5 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring, until rice is translucent at edges, 2 minutes.
• Add 2 1/2 cups water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a saucepan until boiling; keep hot until ready to use.
• Heat vegetable oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and bay leaf in the hot oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir basmati rice into onion mixture until rice is coated with oil.
• Pour hot chicken stock into the rice mixture. Season with salt; stir.
• Bring rice mixture to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and discard bay leaf. Add butter and fluff the rice with a fork.