How to cook pilaf at home: recipes

The content of the article

• How to cook pilaf
• What you need for pilaf
• How to cook loose pilaf
• Utensils for cooking pilaf
• Pilaf Recipes
• Uzbek pilaf
• Azerbaijani pilaf
• Tajik
• Lamb
• From chicken
• How to cook fruit pilaf
• Pork
• How to cook pilaf without meat
• How to cook pilaf with long grain rice

Mistresses often wonder, are looking for recipes, how to cook pilaf at home, experiment, practice to make it tasty, crumbly, it took a little time to cook. In our age of diversity and accessibility of food products, household appliances, you can cook pilaf of cuisine of any nationality or invent your own signature recipe for this dish.

How to cook pilaf

To cook a delicious pilaf, you need to choose the right variety of rice, meat, dishes. For example, Asian cooks claim that the best pilaf is one made from lamb, with fat tail fat, on an open fire, in a cauldron made of cast iron, and only a man should cook it. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to make a delicious pilaf from other ingredients at home. Today, there are many recipes that prove it..

What you need for pilaf

Classic real pilaf made from lamb. Often use the brisket, ribs, shoulder blade or back of the lamb. However, other types of meat can also be used as a meat component: pork, beef and even poultry, as is done in the East, in Central Asia. This is a food with high nutritional value, so the meat variety directly affects the total calorie content..

According to the classical recipe, Uzbek pilaf is cooked on animal fat, for example, on melted lamb fat, and rarely on vegetable unrefined oils. The pronounced smell and taste of vegetable oil can drown out the taste of other ingredients. Often a mixture of animal and vegetable fat is used for frying, which increases the digestibility of products.

The key to the recipe is spices. This is a kind of creative process, the combination of spices and spices completely determines the aroma. However, there is a basic set, which consists of barberry, hot pepper in a pod or ground. To make the dish fragrant, they often add zira, suneli hops, garlic, thyme, coriander. Saffron, which gives a characteristic golden color, is sometimes added to these spices..

In addition to meat and cereals, the composition includes vegetables, sometimes dried fruits. Traditionally, coarsely chopped carrots are added to the dish. In the Caucasus and India, this vegetable is not used at all. They also put onions, a whole head of garlic, previously peeled from the husk. Adding dried fruits sets off the taste, in some recipes you can find dried apricots, prunes, raisins, figs. They are laid after frying meat and vegetables. Croup should be mentioned separately..

How to cook loose pilaf

To make the pilaf tasty friable, it is better to use long-grain varieties of cereals with a low content of starch. Tajik and Uzbek varieties are ideal – alanga, oshpar, devzira, kenja. You can also use Arabic, Italian, and Mexican rice to cook paella. All of these varieties are solid, practical, do not lose their shape during prolonged heat treatment.

Other varieties are softer, they can stick together at the time of cooking. If you decide to use one of the soft varieties of rice groats, then you need to get rid of starch as much as possible, this will make pilaf crumbly. To do this, rinse it, soak it in cold water, periodically changing the water. To diversify the taste, barley, wheat, corn and even peas can be used instead of rice.

Utensils for cooking pilaf

It is impossible to make the correct pilaf in the “wrong” dish. Traditionally, it is cooked in cast-iron dishes or an aluminum cauldron with a thick bottom. How to cook the correct pilaf without suitable dishes? In extreme cases, the cauldron can be replaced with a lingonberry or a pan with a thick bottom. Such dishes do not allow the grain to burn, it slowly languishes and cooks evenly, unlike enameled products, French frypots, wok pans.

Pilaf Recipes

The ideal recipe for pilaf will depend on the taste preferences of each person or family in general. At first, you can safely experiment with types of meat, vegetables, dried fruits, spices, spices, dishes for cooking. Cooking books with a detailed description of recipes and the availability of photographs, relevant sites, which also often provide an extensive catalog of photos and cooking options, will be able to help. Over time, through trial and error, you will find the best recipe in your opinion or create your own culinary masterpiece.

Uzbek pilaf

• Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Servings Per Container: 10 Persons.
• Calorie dishes: 210 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Uzbek.
• The complexity of the preparation: difficult.

Pilaf is considered a traditional dish of Uzbek cuisine. To create an Uzbek or Samarkand pilaw, lamb is used. Oriental people are famous for their hospitality, and the key is table decoration. This dish is perfect for a feast. The composition includes a large amount of vegetable oil, so it is of great nutritional value. You can decorate the dish with spices (barberry, garlic), then your pilaf will not differ from photos on the Internet.

Ingredients:

• rice – 1 kg;
• lamb – 1 kg;
• carrots – 1 kg;
• sunflower oil – 300 ml;
• onions – 4 pcs.;
• dry hot pepper – 2 pcs.;
• garlic – 2 pcs.;
• dried barberry – 1 tbsp. l .;
• Zira – 1 tbsp. l .;
• coriander (seeds) – 1 tsp;
• salt to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse rice in several waters, wash lamb thoroughly.
2. Peel the onions and carrots. Cut one onion into thin half rings, and carrot into finger-thick bars. Peel the garlic from the top husk without dividing into slices.
3. Heat the cauldron, then pour in the oil. When the oil is hot, put the peeled whole onion in a cauldron and fry it until it turns black, then pull it out – it will no longer be needed.
4. After prepare zirvak (base). To do this, fry the onion, then add the meat to it, fry until a characteristic crust appears.
5. Put the carrots, fry without stirring for three minutes, then mix everything, cook another 10 minutes.
6. Pound zira and coriander with your fingers or a stupa with pestle, add to zirvak, then season with barberry, add salt to taste.
7. Reduce heat and cook until carrots are tender..
8. Pour boiling water with a layer of 2 cm, put hot pepper, reduce heat and simmer zirvak for an hour.
9. Drain the water from the cereal, put it evenly on the zirvak, then pour boiling water through the slotted spoon so that it covers the rice.
10. After the water is absorbed, plant the garlic in the rice heads, cook until the rice is cooked.
11. Turn off the stove, cover with a flat plate, and cover with a lid on top, let it brew for about 30 minutes.

Azerbaijani pilaf

• Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes + 2 hours.
• Servings Per Container: 6 Persons.
• Calorie content: 280 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Azerbaijani.
• The complexity of the preparation: difficult.

The recipe and technology is significantly different from the preparation of Uzbek pilaf. Groats for this dish are prepared separately from vegetables, spices, in a separate bowl. The base can be the most diverse, for example, lamb, poultry, game, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits and even milk. Dried fruits, fruits, fresh spicy herbs are often added to the recipe: mint, thyme, tarragon.

Ingredients:

• lamb – 700 g;
• long-grain rice – 700 g;
• butter – 200 g;
• dried apricots – 150 g;
• raisins (seedless) – 100 g;
• dried prunes – 100 g;
• chestnuts – 100 g;
• onions – 2 pcs.;
• chicken egg – 1 pc.;
• turmeric – 1 tsp;
• salt to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Soak the rice in cool water, add a little salt, leave for about 2 hours.
2. Cut the lamb into pieces weighing approximately 50 g. Boil in salted water, remove the resulting foam at the time of boiling..
3. Rinse dried fruits under running water, then pour boiling water for 10 minutes. Make a cross-shaped incision on each chestnut. Blanch for 5 minutes. Discard in a colander, under a stream of cool water, remove the skin. Throw the peeled chestnuts into fresh water and cook for 7 minutes. over low heat.
4. Peel the onions, cut into strips.
5. Heat the pan, melt half the available butter. Pour onion, passer until golden hue. Drain the dried fruits, add them to the pan, then put the meat. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid evaporates quickly, add boiling water if necessary.
6. Drain the rice bowl, boil in fresh slightly salted water, do not digest. Throw it in a colander.
7. In a separate container, mix 5 tbsp. l boiled long rice with chicken egg, add a little turmeric.
8. Melt butter in a separate bowl (leave a small slice of about 5 g), salt and turmeric using a microwave or water bath.
9. Grease a cauldron or a thick-bottomed pan with the remaining butter, put the egg-rice mixture on the bottom. After a layer, put rice groats, soak each layer with melted butter and spices.
10. Create a small press using a plate, cover and simmer over low heat.

Tajik

• Cooking time: 2 hours.
• Servings Per Container: 6 Persons.
• Calorie content: 230 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Tajik.
• Difficulty: easy.

The difference between the Tajik pilaw lies in a special variety – devzira. This is one of the simple recipes for cooking a spicy dish. Of the spices used only zira (cumin). A pilaf of Tajik cuisine is traditionally prepared from lamb, mainly from the lamb fillet. Such a simple but very satisfying meal will provide a good charge of energy throughout the day..

Ingredients:

• Devzira rice – 600 g;
• lamb (fillet) – 600 g;
• carrots – 600 g;
• onions – 2 pcs.;
• garlic – 2 pcs.;
• zira – 1 tsp;
• vegetable oil, salt – to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetables, chop the onion into rings, carrots in large strips.
2. Soak the cereal in cold water for half an hour. Rinse the mutton and cut into arbitrary pieces.
3. Chop the cooking bowl, pour in the vegetable oil and fry the onion, then add the meat to the onion. When the meat is gilded on all sides, add carrots, fry until tender.
4. Pour half a liter of boiled water into the frying pan, season well with salt, stick the garlic and bring to a boil.
5. Remove the garlic and sprinkle pre-strained rice. Distribute and check evenly so that the liquid slightly covers it. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes..
6. After 10-15 minutes, re-insert the garlic and season with zira. Cover the pan and simmer another 20 minutes. over low heat.

Lamb

• Cooking time: 2 hours.
• Servings Per Container: 20 Persons.
• Calorie content: 145 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Caucasian.
• Difficulty: easy.

A simple lamb pilaf without the addition of specific spices, vegetables and dried fruits is quick to prepare, while taste and high nutritional value are not lost. Lamb is fatty meat, therefore, while cooking, you need to control the amount of other sources of fat, otherwise one portion will be able to exceed the daily norm of this nutrient for an average person.

Ingredients:

• stewed lamb – 1 kg;
• rice – 400 g;
• water – 2 l;
• carrots – 3 pcs.;
• garlic – 2 pcs.;
• onions – 3 pcs.;
• sunflower oil – 100 ml;
• ground red pepper, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Heat the cauldron, pour in the sunflower oil, fry the lamb over high heat.
2. Peel vegetables, chop onion in half rings, carrots with straws or slices.
3. Send the onion to the meat, fry for 10 minutes, then add the carrots and simmer for 25 minutes. over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Salt the contents of the cauldron, add red ground pepper and deepen the peeled garlic heads in the center.
5. Rinse the grain and evenly distribute on top of the fry.
6. Fill the dish with hot water so that the level is about 1 cm higher than the ground.
7. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

From chicken

• Cooking time: 1.5-2 hours.
• Servings Per Container: 12 Persons.
• Calorie content: 165 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty: easy.

In the wake of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, chicken has become one of the most popular diet foods. You can reduce calorie content and balance the BZHU with the help of the “right” cereal and chicken meat. An easy chicken pilaf recipe will provide you and your family with a healthy and nutritious dish that you can safely eat for lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:

• chicken (fillet) – 700 g;
• steamed rice – 450 g;
• carrots – 200 g;
• sunflower oil –150 ml;
• water – 1 l;
• onions – 1 pc.;
• garlic – 2 pcs.;
• ground red pepper, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Chop the cauldron, pour in all the sunflower oil and warm it well.
2. Throw pieces of chicken into cauldrons in portions, fry evenly on all sides, then take out ready-made pieces and throw raw.
3. In the oil from the meat, fry the onions, then add carrots and chicken to it, fry not medium heat, stirring constantly.
4. Pour the mixture with hot water so that the level is about 1 cm higher than the ground, add peeled garlic cloves and ground pepper, boil for 10 minutes.
5. Pour a spoonful of salt and lay out the washed cereal.
6. Pour the whole mixture with boiling water and mix thoroughly, cover the cauldron with a lid and cook until the cereal is ready (about half an hour).

How to cook fruit pilaf

• Cooking time: 30-60 minutes.
• Servings Per Container: 4 Persons.
• Calorie content: 150 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for breakfast, for lunch.
• Cuisine: Tatar.
• Difficulty: easy.

The recipe for fruit pilaf comes from Tatar cuisine. In the classic version, in addition to dried fruits, white sugar (sweet spices) and wheat flour are added, but the taste of the dish will not lose at all without these components. Sweet fruit pilaf is suitable for children who do not really like cereals as a healthy dessert. Adults are not recommended to eat this dish for dinner – sweet foods are best to eat in the morning. The dish is cooked in a slow cooker or pan with a thick bottom.

Ingredients:

• rice – 200 g;
• water – 200 ml;
• raisins – 100 g;
• prunes – 70 g;
• dried apricots – 70 g;
• figs – 70 g;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l .;
• turmeric – 0.5 tsp.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetable. Cut carrots into cubes or any other convenient way.
2. Add vegetable oil to the bottom of the bowl, put chopped carrots and raisins.
3. Grind prunes, dried apricots and figs, put on top of raisins and sprinkle with turmeric.
4. Pour in water with a small amount of dissolved salt.
5. Turn on the slow cooker in Pilaf mode for 30-60 minutes. The speed of cooking will depend on the variety of cereal.

Pork

• Cooking time: 1.5-2 hours.
• Servings Per Container: 4 Persons.
• Calorie content: 205 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Uzbek.
• Difficulty: medium.

Uzbek dishes often use pork. This is a variety of fatty meat, so the nutritional value of a dish with the addition of pork is higher than other varieties. The recipe includes a standard set of vegetables and spices, but their combination with pork gives a completely different taste to the dish. A pilaf with pork is better to eat at lunchtime, and for dinner – limit yourself to a light salad.

Ingredients:

• rice – 200 g;
• pork – 200 g;
• onions – 200 g;
• carrots – 200 g;
• vegetable oil – 40 ml;
• garlic – 1 clove;
• salt, black pepper – to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Pour vegetable oil into a cooking container and chop well.
2. Cut the meat in portions and fry evenly on all sides until cooked.
3. Halve the onions and put them on top of the meat.
4. You can cut carrots in any convenient way or grate.
5. Add carrots to frying and simmer until cooked..
6. Pour the washed grain, fill the mixture with warm water. Level two fingers above the thick.
7. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
8. In 10-15 minutes until the rice is ready, stick a clove of garlic for flavor.
9. When the water evaporates, turn off the pilaf, cover the pan with a lid and let the dish reach.

How to cook pilaf without meat

• Cooking time: 30-60 minutes.
• Servings Per Container: 10 Persons.
• Calorie content: 63 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty: easy.

Many people wonder how you can cook pilaf without meat. Such recipes can be attributed to vegetarian dishes, they are prepared during the fasting period and people who adhere to a low-calorie diet. Low-fat pilaf can be given to children. Vegetables that are uncharacteristic for pilaf, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, etc., are placed in rice grains, so simple rice with vegetables is hidden under the prefix “without meat”. The time it takes to cook pilaf depends on the dishes and rice variety.

Ingredients:

• rice – 400 g;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• onions – 1 pc.;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• vegetable oil – 20 ml;
• water – 2 l;
• salt, pepper – to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetables, chop the onion finely, chop the carrots or grate.
2. Heat oil in a deep skillet and pass the vegetables.
3. When the vegetables are significantly reduced in volume, add the cereal and lightly fry.
4. Pour the mixture with water, add salt, garlic, pepper mixture to taste.
5. Stew under the lid until the cereal is ready.

How to cook pilaf with long grain rice

• Cooking time: 60 minutes.
• Servings Per Container: 4 Persons.
• Calorie content: 150 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty: easy.

During cooking, the croup should not lose its shape. There are special varieties for this, for example, long-grain steamed rice. The grain has an elongated shape and transparency. You can cook pilaf with poultry, pork or lamb. This variety goes well with a variety of vegetables and spices. Long-grain rice does not require special preparatory processes..

Ingredients:

• long grain rice – 200 g;
• chicken (fillet) – 200 g;
• water (broth) – 1 l;
• vegetable oil – 40 ml;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• onions – 1 pc.;
• garlic – 1 clove;
• spices for pilaf, salt – to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetables, rinse the grits, drop them in a colander.
2. Heat a cauldron and pour vegetable oil into it.
3. Next, you need to cut vegetables and chicken into portions.
4. First, fry the meat, remove it, then pass the vegetables.
5. Return the chicken to the prepared vegetables, put the rice, pour water or broth and let the mixture boil.
6. Reduce the heat, cover the cauldron and simmer until tender..