2019-08-01 Eat Well

The defi nition of pilaf does not do justice to this ancient food. The Oxford Dictionary describes a pilaf

as, “A Middle Eastern method of cooking rice so that every grain remains separate.” There are literally

thousands of variations of pilaf in existence today from Turkey to Turkmenistan, including the plovs

of central Asia and the pilaus of the Indian subcontinent, adding a mix of meat, fruit or vegetables and

even substituting the rice. Pilafs are always tasty and satisfying, so why not bring this popular food to

your table with our pilaf recipes such as: Caulifl ower & Pomegranate Pilaf; Barley, Mushroom & Green

Bean Pilaf; Quinoa & Capsicum with Lemon Garlic Yoghurt Pilaf; Mushroom with Toasted Pine Nuts

Pilaf; Turmeric & Almond Pilaf; and Brown Rice with Toasted Nuts & Dried Fruit Pilaf.

Chicken & Pomegranate Pilaf

Recipe / Lisa Holmen

This pilaf is one of my all-time favourites. I love the fresh herbs

and burst of freshness from the pomegranate. It’s a great way of

using up any fresh herbs you may have in the fridge, but

I recommend using a mix of fresh parsley and mint, which pairs

perfectly with the zest of the lemon.

Serves: 2

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 chicken thighs, diced

175g basmati rice

Zest 1 lemon

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cumin

375mL chicken stock

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

& mint, chopped

1 pomegranate, seeded

Lemon wedges, to serve

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion

and cook for few mins until translucent. Add garlic and cook until

aromatic. Add chicken and cook for 5 mins until golden.

Add rice to pan and stir to coat. Add lemon zest, cinnamon

and cumin.

Stir in chicken stock and bring to boil. Cover pan with lid and

reduce heat.

Cook for 15 mins, covered, until all liquid is absorbed. Remove

from heat and rest for another 10 mins with lid on. Toss with fresh

herbs and pomegranate and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Mushroom Pilaf with Brown Rice

Recipe / Lisa Holmen

This pilaf is the perfect winter comfort food, loaded with buttery

mushrooms and fresh herbs and topped with Parmesan. If you’re

using brown rice in this recipe, it may need a bit longer cooking time

in the pan to ensure the rice is tender and fluffy. Try not to peek

too much while you’re cooking the pilaf to ensure you get the

fluffiest rice possible.

Serves: 2

1 tbsp unsalted butter

½ brown onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

400g mushrooms, sliced

Salt & pepper

175g brown basmati rice

400mL vegetable stock

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 handful fresh chives, chopped

Shaved Parmesan, to serve

Heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook

for a few mins until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant

(approximately 1 min).

Add sliced mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook,

stirring occasionally, until browned. Add rice and sauté for 30 secs,

stirring well.

Add stock and parsley and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook,

covered, for 15–20 mins, until stock is absorbed.

Remove from heat and leave to rest for 5 mins. Fluff up rice with fork.

Top with fresh chives, extra parsley and Parmesan.

Serve immediately.

Chicken &

Pomegranate Pilaf

Pilafs

Photography: Lisa Holmen

34 | EatWell

RECIPES

pilafs

EWL026_034-043 CR Pilafs-PR.indd 34EWL026_034-043 CR Pilafs-PR.indd 34 5/08/2019 11:22:19 AM5/08/2019 11:22:19 AM

The defi nition of pilaf does not do justicetothisancientfood.TheOxfordDictionarydescribesa pilaf

as, “A Middle Eastern method of cookingricesothateverygrainremainsseparate.”Thereareliterally

thousands of variations of pilaf in existencetodayfromTurkeytoTurkmenistan,includingtheplovs

of central Asia and the pilaus of theIndiansubcontinent,addinga mixofmeat,fruitorvegetablesand

even substituting the rice. Pilafs arealwaystastyandsatisfying,sowhynotbringthispopularfoodto

your table with our pilaf recipes suchas:Cauliflower&PomegranatePilaf;Barley,Mushroom&Green

Bean Pilaf; Quinoa & Capsicum withLemonGarlicYoghurtPilaf;MushroomwithToastedPineNuts

Pilaf; Turmeric & Almond Pilaf;andBrownRicewithToastedNuts&DriedFruitPilaf.

Chicken & Pomegranate Pilaf

Recipe / Lisa Holmen

This pilaf is one of my all-time favourites. I love the freshherbs

and burst of freshness from the pomegranate. It’s a greatwayof

using up any fresh herbs you may have in the fridge,but

I recommend using a mix of fresh parsley and mint, whichpairs

perfectly with the zest of the lemon.

Serves: 2

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 chicken thighs, diced

175g basmati rice

Zest 1 lemon

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cumin

375mL chicken stock

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

& mint, chopped

1 pomegranate, seeded

Lemon wedges, to serve

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Addonion

andcookforfewminsuntiltranslucent.Addgarlicandcookuntil

aromatic.Addchickenandcookfor5 minsuntilgolden.

Addricetopanandstirtocoat.Addlemonzest,cinnamon

andcumin.

Stirinchickenstockandbringtoboil.Coverpanwithlidand

reduceheat.

Cookfor 15 mins,covered,untilallliquidis absorbed.Remove

fromheatandrestforanother 10 minswithlidon.Tosswithfresh

herbsandpomegranateandserveimmediatelywithlemonwedges.

MushroomPilafwithBrownRice

Recipe/ LisaHolmen

Thispilafis theperfectwintercomfortfood,loadedwithbuttery

mushroomsandfreshherbsandtoppedwithParmesan.If you’re

usingbrownriceinthisrecipe,it mayneeda bitlongercookingtime

inthepantoensurethericeis tenderandfluffy.Trynottopeek

toomuchwhileyou’recookingthepilaftoensureyougetthe

fluffiestricepossible.

Serves: 2

1 tbsp unsalted butter

½ brown onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

400g mushrooms, sliced

Salt & pepper

175g brown basmati rice

400mL vegetable stock

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 handful fresh chives, chopped

Shaved Parmesan, to serve

Heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook

for a few mins until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant

(approximately1 min).

Addslicedmushroomsandseasonwithsaltandpepper.Cook,

stirringoccasionally,untilbrowned.Addriceandsautéfor 30 secs,

stirringwell.

Addstockandparsleyandbringtoboil.Reduceheatandcook,

covered,for15–20mins,untilstockis absorbed.

Removefromheatandleavetorestfor5 mins.Fluffupricewithfork.

Topwithfreshchives,extraparsleyandParmesan.

Serveimmediately.

Chicken &

Pomegranate Pilaf

Pilafs

Photography: Lisa Holmen

34 | EatWell

RECIPES

pilafs