Cardamom Rice Pilaf With Caramelized Onions Food

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED ONION AND CARDAMOM RICE

Steps:

• Put the sugar and scant 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the barberries, and set aside to soak. If using currants, you do not need to soak them in this way.
• Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan for which you have a lid over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has turned a deep golden brown. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and wipe the pan clean.
• Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and season with 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper. Add the remaining olive oil, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and use your hands to mix everything together well. Heat the frying pan again and place the chicken and spices in it. Sear chicken for 5 minutes on each side and remove from the pan (this is important as it part-cooks the chicken). The spices can stay in the pan, but don't worry if they stick to the chicken. Remove most of the remaining oil as well, leaving just a thin film at the bottom. Add the rice, caramelized onion, 1 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Drain the barberries and add them as well. Stir well and return the seared chicken to the pan, pushing it into the rice.
• Pour the boiling water over the rice and chicken, cover the pan, and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, remove the lid, quickly place a clean tea towel over the pan, and seal again with the lid. Leave the dish undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Finally, add the herbs and use a fork to stir them in and fluff up the rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot or warm with yogurt mixture if you like.

CARDAMOM RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Put a medium saucepan over low heat and pour in the oil.
• When it is hot, add the onion and cardamom seeds and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent and everything is nicely coated with oil.
• Increase the heat to medium; add in the rice, and cook and stir until it is warmed through and it, too, is glossy with oil, another minute or so.
• Increase the heat, pour in the broth or water; stand back, it may sputter; stir, and bring to a boil.
• Toss in the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and give everything a last stir.
• Decrease heat, cover, and cook the rice until it is tender and has absorbed all (or almost all) of the liquid, 10-15 minutes, depending of the rice you've used.
• Remove the pan from heat and let the rice sit for 2 minutes before fluffing it with a fork and serving.

KASHMIRI CHICKEN, CARDAMOM AND SAFFRON PILAU: SPICED INDIAN RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the basmati rice several times in cold water and drain in a colander - leave to dry.
• Heat half of the oil (1 tablespoon) in a large pan and add half of the onion (1 onion), the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds. Fry them over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces and brown them - turning them regularly to achieve a good colour all over.
• Add the saffron, boiling water, cardamom pods, mint, garam masala and cinnamon stick. Bring it all to the boil and then cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
• Transfer all the contents to a bowl and rinse out the pan.
• Add the remaining oil and onion to the pan and fry until the onion is lightly coloured. Add the rice and stir it well, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is opaque.
• Add the chicken mixture, tomatoes and sultanas - then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir gently, then shake the pan to level the ingredients.
• Add sufficient boiling water to come about 3/4" above the rice mixture. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook gently over a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has all been absorbed.
• Discard the cinnamon stick and transfer to a warm serving dish, sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve immediately.

SAFFRON-CARDAMOM RICE

Steps:

• Melt 1 teaspoon butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Cool.
• Melt remaining 2 teaspoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, raisins, sugar, salt, saffron and cardamom. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand covered 10 minutes. Stir in pine nuts.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Spread the pistachios on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool. Roughly chop the nuts and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt, and sauté for 2 minutes; add the coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaf to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning brown, 1 to 3 minutes more. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is well coated with oil and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cardamom pods.
• Season to taste with salt if necessary. When ready to serve, sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.

CARDAMOM RICE PILAF WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS:

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 TBSP butter and the chopped onions. Cook until translucent, add ¾ of the crushed cardamom, 1 TSP salt, and 1-2 bay leaves and stir to combine. Add rice and stir to thoroughly coat rice with buttery goodness for about a minute. Add water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 more minutes. While the rice is cooking, get out a small or medium sauté pan, add 1 TBSP butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add 1 bay leaf, the rest of the crushed cardamom and the slivers of onion, and season with salt and pepper. Once the onion starts to brown, reduce heat to medium low or low and let the onions continue to caramelize, stirring occasionally.