What liquid is most often used to cook rice by the pilaf method and why?

The most commonly used, of course, is water , but you can also use a stock such as vegetable stock or chicken stock for extra flavor. Just keep in mind that if you are cooking white rice, using stock may change its color.

What is a Middle Eastern or Indian dish of rice cooked in stock with spices?

Pilaf (US: /ˈpiːlɑːf/), pilav or pilau ( UK: /ˈpiːlaʊ, piːˈlaʊ/) is a rice dish, usually sautéed, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do ...

Should you rinse rice for pilaf?

Tips for Cooking Rice Pilaf: Rinse the rice until the water runs clear . This will get rid of surface starch that would make the rice pilaf gummy. Add ingredients like minced onion and garlic.

How long should you soak rice before cooking?

Soaking any variety of rice covered in water for just 30 minutes plumps the grains of rice. This plumping allows the grains to absorb a little water prior to cooking, the grains of rice will be very tender without getting mushy and the rice cooks very evenly.

What is a famous Middle Eastern spice mix?

Bahārāt (which simply means "spices" in Arabic) is a typical blend of Middle Eastern cuisines in general and especially those of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. The traditional mix calls for cumin, caraway, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, paprika and allspice .

What spice is used in Middle Eastern cooking?

For centuries Middle Eastern spices and seasonings have been an important part of the world's diet. Today, spices of the Middle East, such as nutmeg, cardamom, sumac, and fenugreek , are used to enhance the flavor of numerous Western and Middle Eastern cuisine delights, ranging from soups, to entrées, and even desserts.

What is Middle Eastern nine spice?

Ingredients 6 tablespoons whole allspice. 6 cassia bark sticks or cinnamon sticks. 3 tablespoons coriander seeds. 1 tablespoon black peppercorns. 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds. 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds. 10 whole cloves. 2 blades mace. More items... Aug 2, 2023

What is the best liquid to cook rice in?

The answer is simple: Swap out all or part of the water for another liquid! That's right. You don't always have to use plain ol' water to cook your grains. Try adding tea, broth, or even carrot or tomato juice to the pot for a huge flavor boost without much added effort.

What is the pilaf method of cooking rice?

What Is Rice Pilaf? Today we're making the very simplest rice pilaf: white rice cooked with a little flavorful oil and chopped onion, and then simmered with broth . It's one step up from rice cooked in water, but not so elaborate that you can't pull it together on a weeknight.

When making pilaf, the amount of liquid to use is?

Ingredients 2 cups white rice, preferably long grain. 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (or chicken fat) 1/2 cup chopped green onions or yellow onion. 1/2 cup chopped celery. Up to 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth, or a mix of water and stock (amount depends on the type of rice used) More items...

What type of method is used when making rice pilaf?

In both the pilaf and risotto methods, we first sauté some finely minced onion in butter or oil, then add the uncooked rice and sauté it until it until it gives off a faint nutty aroma. For pilaf, we then add hot stock, cover, and transfer to the oven where it cooks until the liquid is absorbed.

Persian Cranberry Rice Pilaf Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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Fragrant, slightly sweet, and delicious, Persian cranberry rice pilaf. This rice pilaf is perfect to serve as a side for Thanksgiving. It’s studded with dried cranberries and pistachio and super fragrant from sweet saffron. This saffron rice will be a hit all around!

Are cranberries the best or are cranberries the best? Yes. And yes.

Especially this cranberry rice pilaf studded with sweet cranberries, BECAUSE I❤ UNIQUE THANKSGIVING SIDES. This beauty is loaded with cranberries and a handful or two (or three) of crunchy pistachios (or almonds or pecans) *squeals* and made extra yummy nummy with basmati rice, the kind where you can see each individual grain, fragrant with a big pinch of saffron, and flat out flavorful with just a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty, bit of spices – oh yes I did.

This is one of those special recipes that have me stealing bites as i’m packing away leftovers. Excuses. That’s what they are. Oh, just a bite because the container is too full to hold any more. Deliberately taking a small bite. Okay, one bite didn’t really do anything, i’ll have to take another one. And that snowballs into packing away at least a 1/4 of a cup of so. Nod and pretend like you know exactly what i’m talking about, will you? Shmanks.

The first time I had thiscranberry rice pilaf it was at this adorable little Persian grill.

It came as a side on my plate of grilled koobideh kabobs and these cute little grilled nuggets of chicken that were marinated perfectly in the amazing mustard/turmeric/sumac flavor. So technically the cranberry rice pilaf was actually a sweet cherry rice pilaf. And technically they had slivered almonds on top rather than pistachios. But it was love at first bite. And I couldn’t help but quickly jot down the notes I tasted in the rice.

I was itching to attempt making it at home and when I finally did, one bite and I knew I hit the jackpot with this one. Anees said that it tasted just like the rice we had at the persian restaurant – if not better! Score. And since then we’ve made it at least a dozen times. And this recipe isn’t limited to just Thanksgiving, I’ve made it during summer time with my moms famous Jujeh kabob recipe too. The spices in the chicken complement the cranberry rice soooooo well.

If you’ve been in search of the perfect thanksgiving side that’s a little more flavorful than bland mashed potatoes and a boring old salad, this is the one for you! I’m so excited to share this with you guys I can hardly stand it. Let’s do this!

For starts, this dish can be served with grilled chicken, kabobs or any other kind of protein or it’s totally fine to serve has a main course too because, I could eat an entire bowl of this stuff.

Let’s talk about the rice for Persian rice pilaf:

I cannot stress enough that the quality of the rice you use for this cranberry rice pilaf recipe is super duper important. If there is one thing you splurge on for this recipe, let it be the rice. RICE. Okay, I think I’ve made it pretty clear.

To prepare the rice, start by giving it a good rinse under cold, running water. Let the basmati rice soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours if you’ve got the time. This step is what helps each grain of rice get nice and tender yet remain completely mush-free. Allow a large pot of water to boil, once boiling, season with a palmful of salt + 2 tablespoons of vinegar. The vinegar helps each grain remain separate from each other. Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water. Boil the rice for 6-8 minutes or until the rice is just al dente. Drain the rice and rinse it with cold running water to stop it from cooking further. A lot less daunting then it looks, am I right?

The rest is a breeze, dahling.

The first bite of gorgeous and perfectly cooked basmati rice all mixed together with sautéed onions, spices, a little sugar, and cranberries. I fell completely in love with the combination of textures and flavors, and the likelihood that i’ll eat the whole pot in the next few days is very high. For reals.

Fresh comfort food. Cranberries in your rice rather than a goopy, gloppy, canned, and questionable cranberry jelly. WIN!

Like, hurry up and put this on your thanksgiving menu already!❤

Yield: 6 servings

Persian Cranberry Rice Pilaf

Prep Time30 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time50 minutes

Fragrant, slightly sweet, and delicious, Persian cranberry rice pilaf. This rice pilaf is perfect to serve as a side for Thanksgiving. It's studded with dried cranberries and pistachio and super fragrant from sweet saffron. This saffron rice will be a hit all around!

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) or butter
1 cup onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sumac powder (optional)
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon saffron (soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water for 10 minutes)
1/3 cup roasted shelled pistachios (or slivered almonds or pecans)

Instructions

Wash the basmati rice thoroughly and soak in water for 30 minutes. If you've got the time soak for up to 2 hours. The longer you soak, the more tender the rice.
Heat the ghee or butter over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet. Add the onions and sauté them for 3 -4 minutes until they turn translucent. Add the turmeric, sumac powder, cranberries, and salt. Allow the cranberries to cook for 1 minute, then add the sugar, along with 2 tablespoons of water so the onions and cranberries can soak up the sugar. Allow to cook for 3 minutes or until the cranberries soak up all the liquid, turn off the stove and remove from heat.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil (see notes). Drain the rice and add to the boiling water and cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until al dente. Drain the rice and rinse under cool running water to stop cooking; drain. Pour the tablespoon of olive oil into the base of the same pot. Add the rice and pour the saffron water over the rice evenly. Top with the cranberry mixture and the pistachios. Wrap the lid of the pot with a thin kitchen towel and cover the pot. This helps build steam to help cook the rice through. Cook the rice on high for 3 minutes, then turn the heat down to super-low and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

I like to add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar once the water is boiling along with a palmful of salt before adding in the rice. Though this is completely optional, I find that it makes the rice fluffy and flavorful.
Sumac is available in most middle eastern grocery stores in the spice aisle.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!