Persian Chicken Pilaff Food

PERSIAN CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain.
• Meanwhile, heat a glug of oil in a shallow casserole with a lid and, in batches, brown the chicken all over. Remove and set aside.
• In the same casserole, melt the butter, then add the cinnamon stick, zest, pomegranate molasses and raisins. Fry for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside.
• Spoon a thin layer of washed rice over the bottom of the casserole. In a large bowl, toss the remaining rice with the set-aside fruit/zest/spices and season well. Spoon into the casserole, then top with the chicken, pushing the pieces into the rice. Pour over the water. Using a chopstick (or similar), make 4-5 holes in the rice and pour over the saffron and its cooking water. Wrap the casserole lid in a clean tea towel and cover the pan, tucking in the ends away from the flame. Cook gently for 30 minutes.
• Spoon onto a platter and top with pine nuts, herbs and fried onions, then serve with yogurt.

PERSIAN CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Toss chicken with paprika, cinnamon and cardamom.
• In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the chicken, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from skillet, set aside.
• In same skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onion; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in rice pilaf mix, contents of Spice Sack, broth, apricots, and orange zest; bring to a boil.
• Cover; reduce heat to low.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in reserved chicken and almonds.
• Cover; continue to simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

PERSIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a rolling boil in a large saucepan.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves, cracked peppercorns, cardamom seeds, and juniper berries.
• Add two cups of basmati or other long-grain rice, slowly, so the water doesn't stop boiling. Cook for about eight to ten minutes, stirring from time to time to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom, until the rice is just barely done.
• Pour everything into a strainer or colander and let the rice drain. Leave the spices in the rice.
• While the rice is boiling, chop the dried fruit. Throw the fruit on top of the rice draining in the colander.
• Thinly slice one-half of a large onion and sauté it until golden in 5T of unsalted butter with several pinches of saffron or one teaspoon of turmeric.
• While onions are cooking, grease a round casserole with a bit of butter and turn the spiced rice and fruit into a large bowl.
• Turn the golden onions into the bowl and mix everything up.
• Spoon the mixture into the casserole and pat the rice firmly in place with the back of a spoon.
• Drizzle 3 Tbsp of melted butter over the top and cover with two thicknesses of aluminum foil and seal the edges well. Add a lid if your casserole has one. Set the casserole in a preheated 350°F oven and let it bake for an hour.
• Then remove it from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes or so before removing the foil and unmolding it onto a platter. (Lay the platter on top of the rice and, using a thick dishcloth or potholders, flip the thing over).
• Surround with the Persian chicken.

IRAN CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl with water and let stand for 2 hours.
• Dry the rice.
• Heat the butter in a skillet,put the onions,the pine nuts, the chicken, salt, pepper, curry powder and cinnamon.
• Mix well and then add the rice, the chicken broth, apricots and the sultans.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until rice is done.

ONE-POT CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion for 5-6 mins until softened. Add the chicken pieces, fry for a further couple of mins just to colour the outside, then stir in curry paste and rice. Cook for another min.
• Pour in the chicken stock and throw in any larger bits of frozen veg. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 10 mins, then stir in the remaining veg. Scatter over the spinach, cover, then cook for 10 mins more until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender. Give everything a good stir, season to taste, then tuck in.

BASMATI PILAFF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. You will need a medium casserole with a lid. Rinse the rice well in a large bowl of water, then drain.
• Melt two-thirds of the butter in the casserole and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir well, then add the herbs, whole spices and lemon zest and cook for a minute. Now pour in the boiling stock or water and mix into the rice, along with 1½ tsp sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fork through the remaining butter until the rice is fluffy and separated.