Guest Recipe: Nana's Turkish (Cypriot) Pilaf

Course: Rice, Side Dish

Cuisine: turkish

Servings:

Calories: 357kcal

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

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.