Pilau Rice

 

When you think of Pilau Rice I want you to think of Rice Pilaf but even better.  Back in the day of English occupation of India, more English-speaking cooks couldn't say Pilau, so they called it Pilaf. See you learned something new today. Next time you want rice pilaf as a side dish for your fish course, remember the origins of the word. 

Ingredients

2 cups of basmati rice

8 cups of boiling water

1 tablespoon salt 

1 teaspoon of turmeric

2 cloves

3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed 

2 inch cinnamon stick 

For the onions

2 onions - see note 3

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

Instructions 1

Rinse the rice in cold water at least three times to remove any excess starch.

2 cups of basmati rice

Place the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water, let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour.

Instructions 2

Peel and slice the onions into thin half-moons 2 onions

Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large skillet or frying pan.

3 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter

Cook the onions over low heat until they have softened and are starting to caramelize. Add the mustard seeds and stir gently.

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

While the onions are cooking, pour the water into a large pan and bring back to the boil. Add the salt, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom (if using). Stir to dissolve the salt.

8 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cloves
3 cardamon pods
2” cinnamon stick

Add the rice to the water and stir gently. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8-12 minutes until the rice is just cooked. (there will be lots of water left in the pan)

Drain the rice using a sieve, or fine holed colander, remove the whole spices, and set the drained rice to one side until the onions are cooked.

Add the drained rice into the onions mixture and gently stir to combine.

Check the seasoning and add more salt as required.

Notes

If you are not soaking nor washing your rice then add only 2 teaspoons of salt to the water.

I know it is an extra step, but I really do recommend rinsing the rice and then letting it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. It makes the rice so fluffy and keeps every grain separate. It also means the rice cooks more quickly and evenly.

How to rinse rice Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to turn the rice over in the bowl, be gentle as you don't want to break the grains. Carefully drain the water away and repeat this process twice more. Once you have rinsed the rice three times, use a fine-mesh sieve to drain the rice. To ensure you have washed away as much starch as possible, place the sieve under the flow of running water for 10-15 seconds. Leave the rice to drain dry. 

If you can't find cardamon pods, just leave them out, but I recommend you broaden your spice rack and order some to have on hand. 

 Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.                                                                                                                                            

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