Rice Pilaf with Fruit and Nuts
Calories: 328kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings
Description
This fragrant basmati rice pilaf with fruit and nuts is the perfect rice to dress a dinner table. Jeweled with almond, cashews, raisins, apricots and lightly flavored with spices of cinnamon and cardamom. Serve it on its own or alongside other main courses for a festive flare. This simple and easy rice takes only 20 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) Rice Basmati or long grain rice
- 2 tablespoon (60 g) Butter
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- ½ cup Almonds
- ½ cup (65 g) Cashew nuts
- ½ cup (70 g) Raisins
- ½ cup (65 g) Dried Apricot or Cranberries
- 1 teaspoon Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Ginger grated
- 1 cup Onion chopped fine
- 3 ½ cups (800 ml) Stock chicken or vegetable
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- 2 sprigs Mint chopped
- 2 inch Cinnamon stick
- 3 pods Cardamoms or ¼ teaspoon cardamon powder
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 Star anise optional
Instructions
- Clean, rinse and soak rice in water for 30 mins. Drain and set aside. Pro tip - Soaking the rice will ensure even cooking and make very fluffy rice.
- In a skillet, heat oil and butter. Saute the whole spices for a minute. Then, add the nuts and fruits – saute for two minutes on low until lightly toasted.
- Then, add in the onions and saute until the onions are translucent. Followed by garlic and ginger.
- Add the rice and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted. Add the stock or broth and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pan and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook on low for 20 minutes. After 20 mins, turn the heat off and keep covered for 10 minutes more. Pro tip- I like to use a timer to make sure I do not overcook the rice. Letting the rice rest for 10 minutes will ensure fluffy rice.
- Add the chopped cilantro and mint. Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- Measure the quantity of rice using a cup and use the same cup to measure the water ratio later.
- Always soak the rice for a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of an hour, not more.
- If you make a pilaf lightly toast the rice in oil before you add water. The little oil that coats the rice will contribute to flaky rice that keeps them separate from each other.
- Use the right ratio of rice to water.
- Basmati rice - 1 cup rice to 1 ½ cup water - 20 mins
- Texmati rice - 1 cup rice to 2 cups water - 20 mins
- Long-grain-rice - 1 cup rice to 1 ½ cup water - 20 mins
- Short grain rice - 1 cup rice to 1 ½ cup water- 15 mins
- Jasmine rice - 1 cup rice to 1 ¾ cup water - 15 mins
- And if you use vegetables in the rice add ¼ cup more water for every 1 cup of veggies. However, if you use frozen veggies do not add more water as frozen veggies tend to have excess moisture in them.
- Once the rice is lightly toasted - add the water and bring to a boil.
- Then cover the pot and reduce the heat to an absolute simmer (low).
- Cook the rice covered for 20 minutes -
- After 20 minutes turn the heat off but do not open the pot - leave it for another 15 minutes
- After 15 minutes - open the pot and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Serve
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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