Armenian Rice Recipes

AUNTIE'S ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In 2-qt. heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat until foam subsides.
• Add vermicelli noodles and saute until dark and reddish in color.
• Stir in rice and saute in butter until rice is fragrant and nutty in aroma.
• Raise heat to medium-high; pour in boiling chicken broth and stir.
• Add salt and pepper, tasting a bit of the broth to ensure desired seasoning.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat to keep broth at a simmer and cook for exactly 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove cover and taste a few grains of rice for doneness. If still a bit hard, replace cover and cook for two additional minutes.
• When rice is tender, remove pot from heat. Place a paper napkin directly on top of the pilaf and replace cover; let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
• After rest-time has elapsed, remove cover, discard the paper napkin, and stir the pilaf before serving.

ARMENIAN RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the noodles. Cook, stirring, until browned.
• Add the rice and garlic and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste, butter and the chicken broth.
• Cover and cook over low heat exactly 17 minutes. Stir in the finely chopped parsley and serve.

ARMENIAN RICE

Steps:

• Brown first 4 ingredients in a skillet. Pour into a 4-quart casserole; add remaining ingredients, stirring until well mixed.
• Bake in 300 degree oven for 3 hours or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Be sure that oven is no more than 300 degrees.
• (The original recipe calls for only 1/2 t. sliced almonds. I don't know if that was a typo -- but I increased it to one tablespoon - and sometimes even add a little more).

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the egg noodles and stir until they begin to brown, being careful not to burn the butter. Stir in the rice. Continue stirring until rice is coated with butter.
• Pour in the chicken broth and add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover tightly. Cook without uncovering pot until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

ARMENIAN PILAF

Steps:

• Toast pasta in a medium saucepan over medium heat until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add butter, and let melt. Add rice, and stir in stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and let simmer, covered, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 16 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Break or crush the vermicelli into 1-inch lengths. Add the pasta and rice to the butter and stir often until golden, about 5-8 minutes, being careful not to burn the vermicelli.
• Add the broth, allspice and salt and pepper. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, melt remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons butter. Add the almonds and stir often until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the raisins and stir until they puff, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir peas if using, parsley and lemon juice into rice. Cover and simmer until peas are hot, about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour pilaf into a serving bowl or on a platter and sprinkle with the raisin and nut mixture over the top. (Diced dried dates, figs, apricots or chopped walnuts may also be used in this topping.)