Any rice will work, although if you use one with wild rice it will take a little longer to cook. Hi Macie, Then add the almonds, carrots and onions and cook until caramelized. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients (except the saffron) in a very large skillet or shallow stock pot. Moroccan Rice Pilaf: Fragrant, Fluffy and Delicious: Super easy to make with fall harvest flavors and impressive enough your guests will love it as a side dish for any holiday party! Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Basmati Rice- long grain rice with a nutty flavor, doesn’t stick together, firmer texture than white rice. Help spread the word. It takes longer to cook than other rices. For a more “al dente” rice you can use 2 1/2 cups water. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook covered until almost all of the water is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. A Greek example of pilaf is this chicken soup risotto which is usually served in Cretan weddings (the numerous rice grains symbolize abundance, fertility and good luck!). Turn off the heat, add the dried fruits and almonds and stir/fluff up gently with a fork. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (or 2-3 whole cloves) 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or 5-6 cardamom pods) 1 stick cinnamon 2 bay leaves Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups basmati rice … Its cooked by adding boiling liquid in small amounts at a time to get a firm, al dente texture. Thanks! Make your own spice combinations and tell me how it turned out! This pilaf is perfect as a side dish, especially during holidays and celebrations, because all the spices, the almonds and the dried fruit give it a festive character and a rich taste! Moroccan Rice Pilaf is a fragrant rice dish that is excellent for any entertaining. By now, I’m sure you understand that making pilaf is not hard at all. Japanese Rice– medium grain sticky rice used most often in sushi. Nutty and nourishing brown rice, cooked with saffron and ginger and tossed with Moroccan spices and mixed dried fruit and … Wild Rice– Technically wild rice is NOT a rice. There are several things that go into making a rice pilaf successful. Once boiling, stir in the freekeh and reduce to simmer (medium-low). I serve this often to my friends who are vegetarians for a main course.... they LOVE it! Regarding the orange, I buy what is on sale.... your are absolutely correct there is a different amount of juice in different ones, but since you are cooking the liquid out it really doesn't make a difference. I was about to call this a delicious Middle Eastern recipe but suddenly I realized Morocco isn’t part of the Middle East! I attended a Morrocan themed potluck and made this recipe; all of the guests gushed over how delicious it was and requested your recipe. Then remove from the heat. Ideal uses: Spanish Paella dishes. Cover the pot and let the pilaf rest for 15-20 minutes. The simplest way to do it is use any kind of broth/stock instead of water in your favorite rice recipe (check my fluffy rice every time post for tips on how to make fluffy rice every time, with no effort and no rice cooker needed!). Ideal uses: Southeast Asian recipes, great for fried rice. It starts with how fragrant everything is and how you go about each step in your preparation. Searching for recipes with festive character? This moroccan pilaf is the most fragrant side dish! What is long grain rice medley? Your email address will not be published. and don’t forget to subscribe for new recipes or follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook. Stir in broth, salt, orange juice, zest, cranberries and cayenne pepper. This recipe is adapted from the New Basics cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (1989 edition.). The best part is this recipe is completely flexible. I know 8 is a lot, but I promise you’ve probably had most of them and nothing is totally weird. They tend to be classified by their length of grain and the finished texture, bite and whether it sticks together or is stays more individual. Bran and germ left on for a nuttier flavor. I cannot afford saffron, would turmeric be an acceptable substitute? About 5 minutes. Thank you for this recipe…it’s currently my go to recipe for wowing guests. Prepare ahead: Soak the rice in cool water and the juice of half a lemon for 8 hours or overnight before cooking; this will make its nutrients more available and decrease the cooking time. Ideal uses: Great on its own, in mixed blends and pilafs. Basmati rice gets cooked with dried fruit and spices for an unforgettable experience! It’s actually a seed of grass that’s deep dark color and finishes chewy and tastes very nutty. There is a LOT of information in this post so you can make some substitutions successfully and how to make it completely your own but if you just want the recipe as listed by all means scroll down directly to the recipe below! (Yes, another flavor layer.). This looks amazing, I love the flavors and colors, I literally love everything about this recipe! Jasmine Rice– originally long grain rice grown in Thailand, floral like flavor, soft stickier texture. Ideal uses: pilaf, curry rice, often used in Indian recipes. Check out all of our EASY SIDE DISHES here! This rice is also fantastic server warm, or at room temperature. Julie~. 1 1/4 cup long grain rice , medley is fine! Very starchy so it needs to be rinsed before cooking in a pot. In a large pan heat the pan to medium high, add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. In a sauce pan, heat the stock almost to boiling. Great idea regarding the pods, I’ll edit the recipe accordingly! It looks so yummy!!!!!! Delicious! Pilaf is believed to be of Persian origin, describing a dish where grains are boiled in broth. Required fields are marked *. When cooked it tends to be tender, not stick together and fluffy. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake uncovered about 45 -55 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add onions and cook, stirring regularly, until softened … Moroccan Rice Pilaf: Fragrant, Fluffy and Delicious: Super easy to make and impressive enough your guests will love it as a side dish for any holiday party! Cook the rice and vegetables over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the rice begins to …