Pilaf is a common dish in Central Asia, where the main ingredients for its preparation are rice, lamb and vegetables, onions and carrots, fried in fat. But the composition of the components can be changed and adjusted to your taste preferences. If lamb is replaced with pork, then pilaf will turn out to be more fragrant and tender.
Pick your recipe
There are many different recipes for cooking pilaf, but this recipe is original, as it has a special technology for preparing rice, which makes the taste rich and unique.
Ingredients:
- 400-450 g of round steamed rice;
- 400-450 g of pork;
- 1 large onion;
- 1 large carrot;
- 100-110 ml of olive oil;
- aromatic herbs;
- ground black pepper and peppercorns;
- salt;
- hot water.
If during cooking add slices of sweet and sour apple, pilaf will acquire an unusual aroma and will surprise everyone who tries it.
A couple of hours before starting to cook this dish, it is necessary to rinse the rice and let the water drain. Then leave the rice so that it can dry. This is the main rule in the recipe for making pilaf from pork. Rinse the meat well and dry it with a paper towel. Cut the pork into medium sized pieces.
If the cook has enough time, the pork can be marinated. So the meat absorbs all the aromas of herbs and thereby enrich the taste of pilaf. In order to marinate the meat, it must be sprinkled with salt, as well as pepper. Then add aromatic herbs and peppercorns. Mix thoroughly, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 40-60 minutes.
While the meat is pickled, vegetables must be prepared. To do this, carrots and onions should be cut into small cubes. Pour olive oil into the dishes in which your dish will be cooked, and wait until it warms up enough. Put pieces of meat and fry them until a golden hue appears.
For cooking pilaf, an ideal option would be a cauldron or a large cast-iron skillet, but if such dishes are not found, then a simple pan is suitable.
Then add chopped vegetables to the meat and fry for another 5-6 minutes. After that, add rice to meat and vegetables and fry it until transparent. When the rice becomes transparent and slightly fried, stick the head of peeled garlic in it and pour hot water in it so that the water covers the rice by 2 cm.
Add spices and salt to rice, if desired, wait until the water boils. Cover the cookware and minimize heat.
After 10-12 minutes, the water should evaporate and then you need to open the lid and mix the pilaf well, collect it with a slide and make recesses in it so that the steam can leave it. After that, cover the dishes again, but not with a lid, but with a metal bowl.
The readiness of rice can be determined by its friability. If it is found that the rice is still hard, then it must be removed from the heat, cover the dishes with a lid and wrap in a blanket or towel and let it stand for a while. So pilaf will reach the desired condition.
Then you need to remove the garlic from the pilaf. Put pilaf on a large dish. It must be served hot, so it will be tastier and more aromatic.
This dish can be prepared both for lunch or dinner, and on the festive table.