Persian Cranberry Rice Pilaf Recipes

PERSIAN CRANBERRY RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the rice really thoroughly under the cold tap, turning over with your hand to get to as much as possible
• Place the rice in a large bowl of cold water and soak for 30 minutes
• Heat the butter over a medium heat, add the onions, and fry for about 5 minutes until they are translucent and starting to brown a little
• Add turmeric, sumac, cranberries and salt to the onion, stir fry for 1 minute and then add in about 2 tbsp water and stir fry until the water has soaking into the cranberries. Remove from heat.
• Fill a large pan with water, and bring to the boil. Drain the rice, add it to the boiling water, and simmer it for 8 minutes.
• Drain the rice, and rinse it under cold water.
• Add the olive oil into the large pan, add the rice back in, and pout the saffron water over it evenly. Top with the cranberry mixture.
• wrap the lid of the pot with a tea towel, and pop it on top of the pot.
• Cook the rice on a high heat for 3 minutes, then turn the heat down very low and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

PERSIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a rolling boil in a large saucepan.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves, cracked peppercorns, cardamom seeds, and juniper berries.
• Add two cups of basmati or other long-grain rice, slowly, so the water doesn't stop boiling. Cook for about eight to ten minutes, stirring from time to time to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom, until the rice is just barely done.
• Pour everything into a strainer or colander and let the rice drain. Leave the spices in the rice.
• While the rice is boiling, chop the dried fruit. Throw the fruit on top of the rice draining in the colander.
• Thinly slice one-half of a large onion and sauté it until golden in 5T of unsalted butter with several pinches of saffron or one teaspoon of turmeric.
• While onions are cooking, grease a round casserole with a bit of butter and turn the spiced rice and fruit into a large bowl.
• Turn the golden onions into the bowl and mix everything up.
• Spoon the mixture into the casserole and pat the rice firmly in place with the back of a spoon.
• Drizzle 3 Tbsp of melted butter over the top and cover with two thicknesses of aluminum foil and seal the edges well. Add a lid if your casserole has one. Set the casserole in a preheated 350°F oven and let it bake for an hour.
• Then remove it from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes or so before removing the foil and unmolding it onto a platter. (Lay the platter on top of the rice and, using a thick dishcloth or potholders, flip the thing over).
• Surround with the Persian chicken.

RICE PILAF WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Cook 1 1/4 cups wild rice blend in chicken broth with 1/2 cinnamon stick, as the label directs. Cook 1/2 minced onion in a skillet with 3 tablespoons butter, 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sliced almonds and cook 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries and cook 2 more minutes. Toss with the rice. Top with chopped parsley.