Pumpkin Almond Pilau Rice Food

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.

ROASTED PUMPKIN AND SWEET POTATO PILAU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Arrange pumpkin and sweet potato in an even layer on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until tender and veggies just begin to brown. Stir after 18 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add broth and remaining ingredients to onion mixture, stirring to mix. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 50 minutes until rice is done and liquid absorbed. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf. Add pumpkin mixture stir gently to combine.

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.

PILAU RICE

Steps:

• Heat a large pan, which has a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle the cumin seeds over the base and cook for 30 secs, stirring well to toast them but taking care not to burn them. Tip out of the pan into a bowl.
• Heat the ghee or oil in the pan. Add the onion and cook it over a medium heat for 5-7 mins, until it starts to soften.
• Crush the cumin seeds lightly with the cardamom pods.
• Add the cumin, cardamom, cloves and turmeric to the pan and cook for 1-2 mins.
• Rinse the rice well and add to the pan, along with 450ml boiling water, the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and stir briefly just to mix. Bring the mixture to the boil, cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 12-15 mins, until the water is absorbed. Leave the rice in the pan but off the heat for a few mins before serving.