Earlier in the year we had a lovely Skinnymixer, Tahlia send in her family’s recipe for Turkish (Cypriot) Pilaf to share with the community. We had just started recipe testing for our SkinnyMediterranean cookbook and thought it would be the perfect free recipe to complement all the Mediterranean recipes.
We had the privilege of cooking “Desi’s rice” in the Skinnymixer’s Kitchen and added our own twist to it with some spiced currants, slivered almonds and fresh dill. If you would like to cook the original recipe, simply leave out the extras – it is truly delicious!
Thank you to Tahlia and her family for sharing such a special recipe. Here is a lovely note from Tahlia with some of the history behind the recipe…
From Tahlia:
As one of the OG Skinnymixers fangirls, I’m seriously excited right now. I just love that Skinnymixers has put their own stamp on such a timeless family staple. What a perfect addition to all the delicious SkinnyMediterranean recipes!
So, a little backstory — my Nana, Destine (or Desi as everyone called her), was an incredible cook. I honestly think her passion for food runs through my veins! Some of my favourite childhood memories are of us in her kitchen, cooking up a storm together.
Nana came to Australia from Cyprus in the mid-1950s and settled in Sydney’s inner west. Coming from a rural village — where she grew up on an orange orchard and got around on a donkey — it was quite the culture shock! She often told me how she missed the green of home, joking that the only green she could see in Sydney were the painted rooftops. But she was a born nurturer — soon enough, her garden was thriving and her home became a true haven.
In those early days, they shared their house with a Greek and an Italian family. The women couldn’t always speak the same language, but they spoke food — and oh, the meals that must’ve come out of that shared kitchen! My mum still remembers it vividly.When I was little, I could always smell something amazing bubbling away on Nana’s stove. There was always a big pot of her pilaf — ready for anyone who dropped by. No one ever left hungry, and the “mmm”s and “oh my gosh, this is amazing!” were a soundtrack to every meal.My friends all called it “my Nana’s rice,” because no one had ever tasted rice like it. It was the very first recipe she taught me, and by age ten I was making huge pots of it myself. Whenever we had sleepovers at her place, we’d beg for her “chicken, rice and peas” — roast chook, pilaf, peas, and always (always!) a big spoonful of Greek yoghurt on top.
These days, my boys call it Diddy’s rice (Diddy being my mum), and my aunty’s granddaughters call it Mimi’s rice. It’s still a family favourite — birthdays, BBQs, Christmas, you name it, it’s on the table. Everyone who tries it asks for more!I’m honestly so honoured that this recipe has been dedicated to my Nana Desi. Knowing that it’s now been shared with the Skinnymixers Community makes my heart so happy — it means her recipe can be shared far and wide.
Please enjoy it with your families. I promise, you’ll love it just as much as we do.
Big love! Kind Regards,Tahlia M
Equipment
- pan
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter - or olive oil
- 100 g thin egg vermicelli pasta - 4 nests (e.g. San Remo brand or rice vermicelli noodles)
- 500 g medium grain rice - rinsed well
- 1100 g water
- 3 Tbsp chicken stock concentrate - or replace water with liquid stock
- 40 g olive oil
- 30 g currants or sultanas
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 40 g slivered almonds - or pepitas
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 small bunch fresh dill - chopped fine
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan on medium heat.
- Break vermicelli into small pieces and add to pan. Moving constantly allow butter to foam and cook for 5–6 min or until the vermicelli is golden brown.
- Add rinsed rice. Cook for 3-4 min moving the rice around. The rice should begin to turn slightly opaque.
- Mix together water and stock concentrate. Add to the pan. Without stirring place cover over pan and allow to simmer on low heat for 20 min.
- When cooking finishes, do not stir. Remove lid and place a clean tea towel over rice and replace lid. Allow to stand for 10 min to absorb excess steam.
- Whilst resting the rice add oil, currants, almonds, cinnamon & salt to the mixer bowl. Cook for 5 min/steaming temp/slowest speed/MC off.
- Once rice is rested pour current and almond mix evenly over the rice in the pan. Gently fluff the pilaf with a fork or spatula combining the currant and almond mix. Add chopped fresh dill before serving.