Best Rice With Currants 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.

MIDDLE EASTERN RICE WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pan. Add in 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and onions. Cook until onions become translucent.
• Add in rice, salt, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and raisins. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Pour 1 and 1/2 cups hot water and let it cook covered over medium heat until it boils.
• Bring the heat to the lowest when it starts to boil and let it simmer until the rice is soft and all the water is gone.
• When there isn't any water left in the pan, remove from the heat. Uncover, put a paper towel on the top and put the lid back. Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Uncover and add parsley. Give it a gentle stir.
• For the optional topping, put pine nuts in a pan in a single layer without adding oil. Toast until golden brown.
• Serve the rice with toasted pine nuts on the top.

RICE SALAD WITH CURRANTS, ALMONDS AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the rice and 2 tablespoons salt. Boil rice as you would pasta, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until done, but still al dente. Drain and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
• Once cool, transfer rice to a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold mixture into rice.
• Add currants, almonds, pistachios, chives, mint, savory and parsley. Toss to distribute. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice or salt as necessary. Serve at room temperature.

RICE PILAF WITH PUMPKIN, CURRANTS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until pumpkin begins to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside, leaving oil in pot.
• Add onion and cook, stirring, until quite brown, about 5 minutes. Add pine nuts and let them brown a bit. Add currants, pepper, allspice and cinnamon.
• Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, making sure rice is well coated with oil. Add broth or water and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Taste broth and adjust for salt - it should be quite well seasoned. Add reserved pumpkin, cover with a lid, and cook over very low heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat, and let rice steam with lid on for 10 to 15 minutes. Add butter and fluff rice gently with two wooden spoons.

SAFFRON RICE WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine broth, rice, salt, and saffron.
• Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in currants. Cover and let stand 5 to 7 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork to distribute saffron and currants. Serve hot.

SPECIAL RICE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a covered saucepan. Add butter, cumin, raisins, currants, zest, and rice. Stir the rice and return to a rolling boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and add chives. Fluff rice with fork and transfer to a serving dish. Cover rice liberally with toasted sliced almonds or smoked almonds.

HERBED RICE WITH CURRANTS IN OLIVE OIL AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Mix the currants, vinegar, oil, thyme and garlic.
• Season with a generous amount of pepper.
• Let stand at least 4 hours before serving.
• Toast the pine nuts in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over low heat until lightly browned, 2 minutes.
• Watch them carefully; they burn easily.
• Cook the onions in oil until golden, stirring often.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring, an additional minute.
• Add the water and season with salt, pepper and cinnamon.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook covered over low heat until the water is absorbed, 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients with a fork.
• Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and garnish with Seasoned Currants.

BASMATI RICE SALAD WITH CURRANTS AND NUTS

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water and rice in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes. Drain if necessary. Transfer rice to large bowl. Fluff with fork. Cool. Mix in green onions, celery, parsley, pecans, currants and walnuts.
• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and cumin in small bowl to blend. Pour over rice salad; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

SAFFRON RICE WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the top part of a double boiler placed directly on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is wilted. Add rice and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add all remaining ingredients except the remaining butter and bring to a boil.
• Cover and place in the oven. Cook exactly 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the remaining butter. Cover.
• Assemble the double boiler; that is, place the pot containing the rice over simmering water in the bottom half of the double boiler and let stand until ready to serve.