Rice Pilaf

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes

Rice pilaf to me should be exciting rice. Like a risotto, but with out the hassle of stirring. Once you got this down, you can go for some other flavor profiles. Continue on to find out. Pairs well with Chicken Basquaise

Ingredients

1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup good qualitylong grain white rice (such as jasmine or basmati)
1½ teaspoons curry powder
1 ½ cups water / chicken / or veg broth
1 cup frozen peas
½ bunch cilantro, tough stems removed, chopped
¼ cup roasted, unsalted pistachios or almonds, chopped
1 lime (optional)

Chef Tips

Try fennel instead of onions

Add more veg like carrot and celery

Try carrot, coriander and dates

If you don’t have curry powder, perhaps you have turmeric

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven or medium pot over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Add 1 cup rice and stir until each grain is coated in oil, then continue to cook, stirring often, until ends of grains are almost translucent, about 3 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in 1½ tsp. curry powder until rice is coated and curry is sticking to bottom of pot, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Add 1½ cups water and stir, scraping bottom of pot with spoon to loosen spices. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover pot.

Step 5

Let rice steam until water is absorbed and grains are tender, 12–15 minutes. Remove pot from heat, uncover, and stir in 1 cup frozen peas. Drape a kitchen towel over pot. Place lid on top and let rice continue to gently steam about 5 minutes (this also makes it fluffier).

Step 6

Remove lid and towel and fluff rice with a fork. Season with more salt and pepper and stir in pistachios and cilantro.