Nifs Basmati Rice Pilaf Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Examine the rice for foreign objects, but do not wash.
• Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a heavy casserole until it begins to bubble. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat well with oil before adding the bay leaf, salt, pepper and the hot broth. Quickly bring to a boil, place a tight fitting lid on the pot and place into the oven.
• Cook the rice for 18 to 20 minutes before removing from the oven. Stir in the butter and the chopped mint and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add green onions, tomatoes, salt and rice. Stir to blend all the flavours.
• Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover with lid and turn heat to low.
• Cook for 10 minutes and then turn off burner, leaving pot on the burner. DO NOT remove the lid and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Stir in butter and fluff rice with a fork.

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:

• Wash rice by rinsing in cold water. Then soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain.
• In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is tender. Add garlic, and saute for about a minute. Add cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Saute for another minute and add the rice. Saute until rice is translucent and begins to brown. Add water, bay leaf and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 10 minutes. Most of the water will evaporate and steam holes will show through rice.
• Add peas, but do not stir. Cover tightly and let simmer for 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, covered.
• Prepare the raita: In a bowl whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, mint, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper.
• Uncover the pilaf, season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon stick. Turn pilaf out onto a serving platter and pour half of the raita over rice. Pass remaining raita.

Steps:

• Put the rice in a mesh strainer and rinse with cold water several times. Set aside and let drain.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they just begin to pop, about 20 seconds. Add the onion and saute until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, rice, the simmering water, salt, pepper and lime juice, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 10 minutes Fold in the peas, then over, reduce heat to low, and cook 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, uncovered. Remove and discard the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon and fluff with a fork. Transfer the pilaf to a serving dish and serve.

Steps:

• Thinly slice 2 scallions. Cook the scallion whites in butter in a saucepan with 6 cardamom pods, 2 fresh bay leaves, 2 star anise pods and 1 cinnamon stick until soft, 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup basmati rice, then add 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until tender, about 17 minutes. Set aside, covered, 10 minutes. Top with the scallion greens and some chopped dill.

Steps:

• Wash rice in a sieve under cold running water until water runs mostly clear.
• Place rice in a bowl with fresh cold water, and let sit 30 minutes.
• Drain well.
• Heat oil in a larger sauté pan, and lightly sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice, cumin seeds, coriander, cardamom and bay leaf.
• Toss rice to coat well with the seasonings, and lightly sauté 2 minutes.
• Add broth, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes.
• (Do not lift lid.) Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes before lifting lid.
• Add nuts and toss to combine.
• Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
• For Vegetarians use the vegetable broth.

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.

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:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. You will need a medium casserole with a lid. Rinse the rice well in a large bowl of water, then drain.
• Melt two-thirds of the butter in the casserole and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir well, then add the herbs, whole spices and lemon zest and cook for a minute. Now pour in the boiling stock or water and mix into the rice, along with 1½ tsp sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fork through the remaining butter until the rice is fluffy and separated.

Steps:

• Put rice in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Swish with fingers, then pour off water. Repeat 2 or 3 times, until water runs clear. Cover again with cold water and soak 20 minutes, then drain.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter or ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, saffron, coriander, cumin, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom, and stir to coat. Let sizzle a bit, then add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter or ghee, the rice and the corn, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add raisins and 2 cups broth or water and bring to brisk simmer. Taste cooking liquid for salt and adjust if necessary.
• Cover with tight-fitting lid, turn heat to low and let cook 15 minutes. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes off heat. Fluff rice and transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro, scallions and cashews, if desired. Serve with yogurt raita.

Steps:

• Soak basmati rice in water to cover for 30 minutes (prepare the other ingredients during this time). Drain.
• In a large, heavy saucepan melt butter over medium high heat and add rice. Cook, stirring, until grains are coated with butter, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and salt to taste (I use about 3/4 teaspoon). Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Do not lift lid or stir rice during this time. Remove from heat, remove lid and place a dish towel over the pan. Return lid and let sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes for shallots, 4 to 5 minutes for onion. Add carrots, cauliflower, dill or parsley, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, currants or raisins, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir together. Add remaining 3/4 cup water and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add peas, turn up heat and cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and fragrant, and most of the water has evaporated. If there is more than a tablespoon of water in the pan, drain.
• Transfer rice to a large bowl or a large buttered or oiled baking dish. Stir toasted pine nuts and the vegetable and spice mixture into the rice. Add wild rice and toss together. Taste and adjust seasoning. If not serving right away, cover baking dish with foil. Reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes.