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Rice Pilaf

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4.67000 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Calories: 642kcal
Servings: 4 People
Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

Rice Pilaf

  • 28 g Clarified Butter
  • 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Sliced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
  • 3 g Cumin Seeds
  • 2 g Caraway Seeds
  • 1 g Ground Turmeric
  • 200 g Basmati Rice Washed
  • 400 ml Chicken Stock
  • 3 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 50 g Currants or Raisins
  • 5 g Coriander (Cilantro) Chopped
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste

Spiced Beef

  • 14 g Clarified Butter
  • 500 g Beef Mince 10% Fat
  • 6 g Curry Powder
  • 80 ml Sweet Chilli Sauce
  • 60 ml Hot Water
  • 2 Spring Onions (Scallions) Roots & Stems Chopped
  • 100 g Frozen Peas
  • 5 g Coriander (Cilantro) Chopped
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste

Garnish

  • Coriander (Cilantro)
  • Spring Onion (Scallion)

Method

Rice Pilaf

  • Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the ghee, and allow it to melt. Add the onion, garlic, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, and turmeric. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the washed rice, mix to combine, and toast for 1 minute, mixing regularly. Add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and seasoning to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 12 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat, leave the lid on, and let sit for a further 5 minutes, undisturbed. Remove the lid, discard the bay leaves, and add the currants (or raisins) and coriander. Mix to combine, check the seasoning, and serve.

Spiced Beef

  • Place a large high-rimmed pan over high heat. Add the ghee and allow it to melt. Add the beef mince and fry for 5 minutes, moving it around frequently, until well browned all over and cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 71°C (160°F).
  • Add the curry powder, mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Add the sweet chilli sauce, hot water, spring onion root, ¾ of the coriander, and frozen peas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until slightly thickened and the peas are heated through.
  • Serve the spiced beef over the rice pilaf, or mix them together, garnished with the reserved coriander leaves and green stem spring onion. Dig in.
Chef's Tips
Toast the rice in the ghee and spices for the full minute before adding stock — this coats every grain in fat and spice, which is what separates a real pilaf from plain steamed rice.
Brown the beef mince properly before adding the curry powder — a good sear builds a base of flavour that the sauce alone can't replicate.
Don't skip discarding the bay leaves before serving — they're there purely for flavour and aren't meant to be eaten.
Storage & Reheating
This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months, in separate airtight containers for the rice and beef. Reheat gently in the microwave or a pan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water or stock if the rice has dried out slightly.
Serving 380gCalories 642kcalCarbohydrates 73.5gProtein 33.3gFat 23.8gSaturated Fat 10.7gPolyunsaturated Fat 1.33gMonounsaturated Fat 8.63gTrans Fat 1.2gCholesterol 96.9mgSodium 571.6mgPotassium 801.2mgFiber 4.6gSugar 22.7gVitamin A 357IUVitamin C 17.77mgCalcium 84.8mgIron 6.8mg