Best Basmati Pilaff Recipes

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a wide pan with a lid (like this one, this one, or this one), melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just starting to brown, about five minutes. While onion cooks, rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear and shake out any excess water.
• Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about a minute. Add rice and stir to coat with butter, then cook, stirring once or twice, for two minutes. Pour in stock and give it all a good stir. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover pan, lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until broth is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Off the heat, place a clean kitchen towel between the pan and the lid to absorb excess steam and let pilaf rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and almonds if using and serve.

BASMATI PILAFF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. You will need a medium casserole with a lid. Rinse the rice well in a large bowl of water, then drain.
• Melt two-thirds of the butter in the casserole and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir well, then add the herbs, whole spices and lemon zest and cook for a minute. Now pour in the boiling stock or water and mix into the rice, along with 1½ tsp sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fork through the remaining butter until the rice is fluffy and separated.

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a medium pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 5 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring, until rice is translucent at edges, 2 minutes.
• Add 2 1/2 cups water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

SPICED BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Prepare the rice: Soak the rice in 3 cups cold water for 30 minutes to remove the starch.
• Cook the rice: Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add butter, onions, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook until translucent but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. To the pan add cardamom seeds, cayenne, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Stir, and toast until fragrant, 2 minutes. Then, add the rice plus soaking liquid to the pot. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Cover, turn off the heat, and let steam for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Put the apricots and lemon zest in the 2 cups of cold water. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garam masala, and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water along with the apricots, lemon zest, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, wrap a clean dish towel around the saucepan lid, and cover saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes undisturbed, then remove lid and fluff with a fork. Mound the pilaf on a serving platter or in a shallow bowl, tear the mint over, and top with the nuts.
• Game Plan: Toast the nuts while the rice cooks.

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a saucepan until boiling; keep hot until ready to use.
• Heat vegetable oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and bay leaf in the hot oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir basmati rice into onion mixture until rice is coated with oil.
• Pour hot chicken stock into the rice mixture. Season with salt; stir.
• Bring rice mixture to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and discard bay leaf. Add butter and fluff the rice with a fork.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH PROSCIUTTO, GARBANZO BEANS AND ORZO

Steps:

• Bring the oil to medium-high heat in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightly fitting lid. Add the prosciutto and crisp until it is lightly golden and the fat renders, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, peppers and onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the orzo and rice. Toast until the grains are all evenly coated with oil, about 3 minutes.
• Pour the broth and lemon juice into the same pot. Bring to a boil. Add the garbanzos and bay leaf and stir to combine. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the orzo and rice are tender. Remove from the heat once the liquid is fully absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Let the pilaf stand, covered, for 5 full minutes. Fluff with two forks, remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the scallions and serve garnished with the basil and mint leaves.

BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Cook the butter and onions over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and toss until all of the grains are coated with the butter. Add the water and salt, cover and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the scallions and parsley, fluff with a fork, and serve.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH INDIAN SPICES AND RAITA

Steps:

• Wash rice by rinsing in cold water. Then soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain.
• In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is tender. Add garlic, and saute for about a minute. Add cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Saute for another minute and add the rice. Saute until rice is translucent and begins to brown. Add water, bay leaf and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 10 minutes. Most of the water will evaporate and steam holes will show through rice.
• Add peas, but do not stir. Cover tightly and let simmer for 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, covered.
• Prepare the raita: In a bowl whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, mint, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper.
• Uncover the pilaf, season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon stick. Turn pilaf out onto a serving platter and pour half of the raita over rice. Pass remaining raita.

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• To wash or not to wash rice? In the case of basmati, no matter what my preparation is, I always wash it. It cleans out any small particles and it also rids the rice of any starch on the grain. This starch makes the rice gummier when cooked.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, add the rice and 4 cups of cold water. Soak the rice for 1/2 hour.
• In a small bowl, add the cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a baking sheet and put it in the center of the oven to lightly toast the spices and awaken the flavors, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the spices to cool.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and the onion. Season with salt and cook until the onions are translucent but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice but reserve the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear the rice crackling, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved soaking water. Season with a generous portion of salt and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook the rice over medium-low heat, uncovered and undisturbed, for about 8 minutes. Take a fork (so as not to damage the rice) and flake a few grains off to taste for doneness. It may need to be cooked another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to "rest" (as you would a roast beef) for 10 minutes before "forking" it gently into a serving bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, if desired, and serve.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH CAULIFLOWER, CARROTS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Soak basmati rice in water to cover for 30 minutes (prepare the other ingredients during this time). Drain.
• In a large, heavy saucepan melt butter over medium high heat and add rice. Cook, stirring, until grains are coated with butter, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and salt to taste (I use about 3/4 teaspoon). Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Do not lift lid or stir rice during this time. Remove from heat, remove lid and place a dish towel over the pan. Return lid and let sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes for shallots, 4 to 5 minutes for onion. Add carrots, cauliflower, dill or parsley, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, currants or raisins, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir together. Add remaining 3/4 cup water and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add peas, turn up heat and cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and fragrant, and most of the water has evaporated. If there is more than a tablespoon of water in the pan, drain.
• Transfer rice to a large bowl or a large buttered or oiled baking dish. Stir toasted pine nuts and the vegetable and spice mixture into the rice. Add wild rice and toss together. Taste and adjust seasoning. If not serving right away, cover baking dish with foil. Reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes.

COCONUT BASMATI PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well and transfer to a large saucepan with 1 1/2 cups cold water, cardamom, ginger, cilantro, salt and coconut milk. Let soak for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir a few times to keep rice grains from clumping. Cook uncovered, rapidly boiling, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the surface is covered with steamy holes, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat as low as possible and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the cilantro sprig, cardamom and ginger.

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
• Saute the onion and almonds over medium heat until onion is soft (not brown) and the almonds are golden.
• Stir in rice; cook stirring for about 4 minutes to release flavor.
• Stir in chopped carrot, currants, orange peel, cinnamon, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Carefully stir in chicken broth and water into the rice mixture, stir slightly with a wooden spoon.
• Bring to a boil, and reduce heat.
• Cover the saucepan and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
• Season with salt.