Basmati Rice Pilaf With Toasted Pecans Food

BROWN BASMATI RICE PILAF RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the butter and olive oil. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add green onions and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Add brown rice and continue to cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
• Add chicken broth, salt, and thyme. Quickly bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for about 45 to 55 minutes. Check and stir occasionally, adding the wine as needed.
• Add toasted pecans and freshly ground pepper.
• Stir and cook for another minute or two.

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.

PECAN RICE

Steps:

• Cook 1 slice chopped bacon in butter in a saucepan. Add 1/2 small chopped onion and cook until soft. Add 1 1/2 cups basmati rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 1/4 cups water, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Add 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

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 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 teaspoons 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 the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, toast the nuts and set aside.
• Cook the rice for 10 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes undisturbed, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
• Mound the pilaf on a serving dish and tear the mint over it and top with nuts.

WILD RICE AND TOASTED PECAN PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small baking pan toss the pecans with the butter, the thyme, and the salt until they are coated well and toast them in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes, or until they are crisp and fragrant.
• In a flameproof casserole cook the onion and the bell pepper in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until they are just softened, and with a slotted spoon transfer them to a bowl. Add the rice to the casserole and cook it, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, heated to boiling, and salt and pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. Bake the mixture, covered, in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes. Stir in the onion mixture, bake the pilaf, covered, for 30 minutes more, or until the rice is tender and the broth has been absorbed, and stir in the pecans.

PECAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute pecans in 2 tablespoons butter until toasted; remove from the pan and set aside., In the same pan, saute onion in remaining butter until tender. Add rice; cook and stir until rice is lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the broth, 2 tablespoons parsley, salt, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes., Add carrots; simmer until rice is tender, 3-5 minutes longer. Stir in toasted pecans and remaining parsley. Fluff with a fork. Freeze option: Reserving pecans for later, freeze cooled pilaf in a freezer container. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish, adding 2-3 tablespoons water to moisten, until heated through. Toast pecans; add to pilaf.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH PEAS

Steps:

• Put the rice in a mesh strainer and rinse with cold water several times. Set aside and let drain.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they just begin to pop, about 20 seconds. Add the onion and saute until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, rice, the simmering water, salt, pepper and lime juice, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 10 minutes Fold in the peas, then over, reduce heat to low, and cook 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, uncovered.
• Remove and discard the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon and fluff with a fork.
• Transfer the pilaf to a serving dish and serve.

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.