Best Rice Pilaf With Golden Raisins Recipes

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH DRIED FRUITS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Place the rice in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish the grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat four to five times, until the water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the water from rice. Place the strainer over a bowl and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the rice to the pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Off the heat, remove the lid and sprinkle the dried fruit over the rice (do not mix in). Place the lid over the pot and let stand for 10 minutes. Toss in the toasted almonds, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

RICE PILAF WITH PINE NUTS AND GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• In heavy saucepan cook the onion with the turmeric and coriander in the melted butter until the onion is softened.
• Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the broth, bring the liquid to a boil and simmer, covered, for 17 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
• Stir in the pine nuts and raisins, add salt and pepper to taste.

RICE PILAF WITH CINNAMON AND GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, warm the olive oil.
• When warm add the onion and rice; cook stirring constantly until onion is transparent and rice begins to brown.
• Stir in the broth, turmeric, cinnamon and salt.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• The last 5 minutes, stir in the raisins.
• Remove from heat, stir in parsley, cover and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.

ALMOND WILD RICE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup broth to a boil. Remove from the heat; add raisins and set aside (do not drain). In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of broth and 2 tablespoons of butter to a boil. Add wild rice; cover and simmer for 55-60 minutes or until the rice is tender; drain if necessary., Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine the brown rice, 2 tablespoons butter and remaining broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender; drain if necessary., In a small skillet, saute the almonds in remaining butter until lightly browned. In a serving bowl, combine the wild rice, brown rice, raisin mixture, almonds, parsley, salt and pepper.

RICE WITH ALMONDS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, stirring, until tender. Stir in the rice, raisins, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Stir in almonds before serving.

RICE PILAF WITH ALMONDS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl. Wash in several changes of water. Drain. Let the rice soak in water that covers it generously for 30 minutes. Drain through a sieve and leave in the sieve suspended over a bowl to drip. Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon. Let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Put in the onions. Stir and fry the onions until they start to brown. Add the almonds. Stir until they are golden. Add the raisins. Stir until they are plump, just a few seconds. Add the drained rice and salt. Stir very gently to mix. Add 2 2/3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and simmer gently for 25 minutes.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Break or crush the vermicelli into 1-inch lengths. Add the pasta and rice to the butter and stir often until golden, about 5-8 minutes, being careful not to burn the vermicelli.
• Add the broth, allspice and salt and pepper. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, melt remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons butter. Add the almonds and stir often until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the raisins and stir until they puff, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir peas if using, parsley and lemon juice into rice. Cover and simmer until peas are hot, about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour pilaf into a serving bowl or on a platter and sprinkle with the raisin and nut mixture over the top. (Diced dried dates, figs, apricots or chopped walnuts may also be used in this topping.)

RICE PILAF WITH RAISINS AND VEGGIES

Steps:

• Bring chicken broth to boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; continue simmering while preparing remaining ingredients.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, onion, green onion white portions, garlic, curry powder, and salt in the hot oil until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Cook and stir rice in the same skillet until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
• Stir toasted rice into boiling chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue simmering until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Remove rice from heat and stir in raisins, green onion tops, and celery mixture until well blended.

CURRIED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute 1/4 cup onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in rice and curry powder. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until rice is lightly browned., In a saucepan, heat broth and salt. Pour over rice mixture; stir. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from the heat; stir in raisins, almonds and remaining onions.

RICE PILAF WITH PISTACHIOS AND GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan cook the onion with the turmeric and the cardamom in 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the rice and cook it, stirring, until it is coated with the butter. Add the broth, bring the liquid to a boil, covered, and simmer the mixture for 17 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir in the pistachios, the raisins, the scallion greens, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste.