CULINARY BLISS 😋
PILAU RECIPE
Pilau is a star of Kenyan cuisine, just like chapati, and it's always
the life of the party at major events. This flavorful rice dish is
cooked in a spiced broth, often featuring chunks of beef or chicken, and
sometimes even peas, nuts, and raisins for a tasty twist. Its rich brown
color comes from frying in caramelized onions and a blend of aromatic
spices. Around the globe, you'll find its cousins in Turkey's
pilaf/pilav, South-Central Asia's pulao, and Iraq's palaw.
Hailing from Kenya's beautiful coast, the locals are famous for whipping
up the best pilau around. But don't worry, the rest of us are catching
up fast!
There are tons of ways to make pilau, and today, I'm excited to share my
fun and delicious version with you.😋
Ingredients
- Cubed beef
- Pishori rice
- 2 garlic bulbs, minced
- 4 large onions, finely chopped
- Whole pilau spice
- Tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
-
Cut your beef into bite-sized cubes, boil them, and set them aside.
Meanwhile, toast your spices for about 2 minutes. Once they're fragrant, crush them with a mortar and pestle and set them aside for later. - The whole spices used include black pepper, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. I don't know the exact proportions, but I believe using whole spices gives pilau its authentic flavor, reminiscent of the Kenyan coast, compared to pre-ground pilau masala. However, if you prefer, you can use ready-made ground pilau masala.
- In a pot, heat some vegetable oil and add the onions and crushed garlic. I love the aroma of these two together. Let them cook until the onions are soft.
- Then add your, beef and let this saute for about a minute. Follow this with the crushed pilau spices and mix. Allow this to saute for about 3 minutes, add your tomato paste, mix and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- After that, add your washed uncooked rice together with water in the ratio of 1:2. This means, if your pilau has 2 cups of rice, you should use 4 cups to cook that rice. This way, you will always have singular, perfect rice. Let this stay on medium heat, with your lid on, and once the water has been totally absorbed, your rice is ready.
You can try this with chicken (breast or thigh) with fish, or whichever accompaniment you see fit. This goes really well with kachumbari, coleslaw, beef stew or just on its own.