Buttery Rice Pilaf

 

                  

 

 

I eat a lot of rice. A lot of people I know eat a lot of rice. Most of Nigeria eats a lot of rice. LOL. Okay so that sounds so dramatic but its true. We eat a lot of white rice with stews and soups, jollof rice, fried rice and 'concoction rice ' (where we just throw whatever is available into a pot and serve).

I know a lot of people that go to restaurants and order extra portions of rice especially if the fancy plated up rice portion is less than adequate.

 

The challenge now becomes how to make rice interesting time and time again. Rice pilafs are such an easy way to do that with less effort and ingredients than jollof or fried rice. They can be as subtle or pack huge flavor punches depending on what you plan to serve the rice with.

 

 My go-to pilaf is one that goes perfectly with spicy or mild sauces and stews and can even be eaten on its own and can be thrown together with ingredients that most people already have in their kitchens.

 

To serve 4, you will need:

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cups chicken stock - you can substitute 4 stock cubes dissolved in hot water
• 1 small diced onion - yellow or red
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• Unsalted butter to taste
• Fresh parsley to garnish - optional
• Salt to taste

 

 

 

 



•  Add a few pats of butter in to a pot and add the onions and garlic immediately and sauté until translucent
• Add the washed rice to the pot and stir constantly. You should ensure that the rice is coated with the butter, onion and garlic mix and the rice begins to toast.
• Stir constantly to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pan and the rice doesn't burn - about 10 mins
• Pour the stock over the rice and add the bay leaves
• Cover  and cook on low heat till rice is cooked through
• Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve with a side of your choice

 

This rice pilaf is so easy to put together but gives same old rice a facelift and 'tastelift' that everyone will love.

 

 

Enjoy!!!