Rice Pilaf Recipe – How to Make Rice Pilaf

What is rice pilaf?

Rice pilaf (rice pilau, or pilaf rice) is a simple and easy dish made of long-grain rice that is cooked in broth with some vegetables and spices while ensuring the rice grains are none sticky nor soggy. There are many variations of making pilau rice and some may cook theirs plain, without adding meat or vegetables. I will show you how to cook this with lamb and vegetables in this easy rice pilaf recipe. Other methods of cooking rice pilau and some variations would also be discussed.

What is Pilaf?

Pilaf is a dish made of either rice or wheat that is cooked so that the grains of wheat or rice is intact without sticking or being soggy. It is often cooked with broth and some vegetables and meat. Rice pilaf recipe is a cuisine of many countries and has many variations according to each country. Below is a list of countries where rice pilau is very common.

Some common dishes evolved from rice pilau; such recipes include the Spanish paella, Central Asian pilau recipe (which is also called pulao), and the Indian biryani recipe.

What is the pilaf method of cooking rice?

The pilaf method of cooking involves frying the rice grains in fat to make them before adding liquid or broth – this way the rice grains remain separate and do not clump together when cooked. The amount of liquid has to be small so as not to make the rice pilau soggy or mushy. If the rice is not stir-fried in fat before cooking, it should be thoroughly rinsed with water to get rid of much starch content (until the water is clear) which may make it sticky and then cooked afterward without stirring the rice while it is being cooked.

List of Countries and Regions where Rice Pilau is a common Cuisine

1. Latin American
2. Israel
3. China (especially in Xinjiang)
4. Bangladesh
5. Iran
6. Balkan
7. Central Asian
8. Armenia
9. Cyprus
10. East African
11. Eastern European
12. Azerbaijan
13. Middle Eastern
14. Caribbean
15. South Caucasian and South Asian cuisines
16. Afghanistan
17. Armenia
18. India
19. Iraq especially in Kurdistan
20. Kazakhstan
21. Georgia
22. Greece especially in Crete
23. Kenya
24. Tanzania, especially in Zanzibar
25. Kyrgyzstan
26. Russia
27.  Nepal
28. Sri Lanka
29. Tajikistan
30.  Pakistan
31. Romania
32. Turkey
33. Turkmenistan
34. Uganda
35. Uzbekistan

Rice Pilaf Ingredients

• 2 cups of Basmati rice or any long grains rice such as Jasmine rice.
• 400 grams of lamb
• 1 tsp of salt
• 7 medium-sized carrots
• 2 tbsp of fruit raisins
• 1 large onion
• 1 tsp of Cumin
• 1 tsp of black pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp of Cinnamon
• 3 minced Garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp of fat – such as butter, lard, or any vegetable shortening.

How do you make rice pilaf from scratch?

• Slice your carrots and onions into thin strands
• Place a pot on the stovetop and add 4 tbsp of fat; allow it to heat up and then go in with the sliced onions.
• Fry the onions until they are brown in color and keep them aside.
• Next, go in with the meat. For this pilau rice, I am using lamb, but you can use my type of meat. You can also make the plain pilaf recipe without meat that is called sade pilav in Turkey or ruzz mufalfal in Arabic. Plain pilaf is known as chelo in Persian.
• Fry the meat until it is brown in color then add 3 minced garlic cloves and stir fry for 30 seconds.
•  Now, add the sliced carrots, fruit raisins, and 250 ml of meat broth. Cover and cook for 15 minutes to soften the carrots and the meat.
• While the meat and carrots are cooking, start washing the basmati rice. Wash thoroughly with clean water several times until the water is clear. This helps to reduce the starch content of the Basmati rice and therefore makes the rice pilaf non-sticky and separate when cooked. When you are done washing the Basmati rice, drain in a colander and keep aside.
• After 15 minutes, add the rice pilaf seasonings which are cinnamon powder, cumin, black pepper powder, and salt. Stir all the rice pilaf seasonings to combine with the meat and carrots.
• Next, add the drained Basmati rice and spread it evenly over the meat and carrot.
• Add 2 cups of meat broth to just cover the top of the rice. Adding liquid to rice pilaf should be minimal. It is better you add a little at a time than adding much liquid which makes the rice pilaf mushy and sticky.
• Cover and cook the pilaf rice for 25 minutes or until the liquid has dried up. Do not stir the rice once it has started cooking; stirring breaks the grains.
• After 25 minutes, your easy rice pilaf is ready. You can sprinkle the fried onions over it and further cook for two or three minutes to warm up the fried onions. The classic rice pilau should be firm, the grains of rice should be separate, and no mushiness.

Variations of Rice Pilaf Recipes

Afghanistan style of rice pilau

The recipe described here is actually the rice pilaf recipe that is made in Afghanistan and it is called Kabuli palaw or Qabili pulao; in Afghanistan cuisine, lamb, mutton, beef, or chicken is used as the meat. Sliced carrots are then fried with fruit raisins and some nuts such as pistachios or walnuts may be added. You can also make rice pilaf with almonds. Kabuli palaw is also common in Saudi Arabia where it is known as roz Bukhari.

In Bangladesh, the method of cooking is similar to that of Afghanistan, but the difference is in the type of fat used. In Bangladesh, clarified butter is used for frying the meat and onions as well as used as a flavoring to drizzle on the cooked polau.

Armenian version of pilau rice

In the Armenia pilau recipe, rice is less used, and instead, it is substituted by wheat groats (bulgur). Armenians often combine rice pilaf with orzo or vermicelli. Orzo is also called risoni, a type of pasta that is cut into short grains that look like rice; vermicelli is also a pasta that looks like spaghetti.

Therefore, combine rice pilaf with vermicelli or rice pilaf with orzo (also known as risoni) is the Armenian way of making pilau rice which is then seasoned with allspice and some mint and parsley. Meat stock is used as the liquid to add more taste to the pilaf recipe.

Azerbaijan pilau recipe

The pilau recipe from Azerbaijan consist of warm rice served with fried chicken or beef together with some herbs. The fried chicken or beef is prepared with onions, dried fruits, and chestnuts (together these are called Gara).

Greek Rice Pilaf

Greek rice pilaf or Greek lemon rice is a type of pilaf that involves cooking the rice in meat stock or adding bouillon stock; in Nothern parts of Greece, the Greek rice pilaf is baked instead of being cooked on the stovetop. Baked rice pilaf is therefore considered the best way of making pilaf in Nothern Greece. On wedding occasions, lemon juice is sometimes added and cooked with rice in a lamb or goat broth, but this type of pilaf is called Gamopílafo in the Crete island; and Gamopílafo is often soggy and not fluffy.

In the French version, the rice is gently roasted and then baked in the oven while being covered by parchment paper. It is served with sauce.

Levant regions style of cooking pilaf

In countries such as Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon (known as the Levant countries); rice pilau is traditionally cooked with vegetables such as eggplants, potatoes, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Meat is also added.

Indian Pulao

The Indian version called pulao consists of cooked rice with meat such as chicken, lamb, prawn, or pork. Fish can also be added. Vegetables such as peas, french beans, carrots, and potatoes can be added as well.

Vegetarian rice pilaf is prepared in the Bengal region of India using vegetarian ingredients such as aromatic rice, saffron, cashew nut, and raisin. Some spices can be added to the vegetarian version; such spices may include nutmeg, cardamom, mace, bay leaf, cinnamon, and clove.

What to add to rice pilaf

1. Cardamom
2. Bay leaves
3. Cinnamon powder
4. Vegetables such as carrots,
5. Fried onions
6. Fruit raisins
7. Saffron for color
8. Almonds
9. In the Caribbean, common ingredients to add to rice pilau include pigeon peas, string beans, carrots, green peas, pumpkin, corn, or cured pigtail.

There are so many additions you can use in your rice pilau recipe. Almost all countries listed above have one ingredient added and a different method of cooking this rice recipe.  Therefore, the list of what to add to rice pilau may not be exhaustive.