Nut dusted pilaf/pilau

INGREDIENTS

• 400g brown basmati rice
• 1g saffron
• 20g brown sugar
• 65ml boiling water
• 30g dried apricots
• 20g raisins
• 20g butter
• 70ml canola oil
• 100g red onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 200g carrots, chopped in small blocks
• 150g red pepper, seeded and cubed
• 800ml free range chicken stock or homemade stock
• 15g almonds, flaked and toasted
• 15g pistachio nuts, finely sliced and toasted
• 300g potatoes, sliced 5mm thick

Spice blend

• 10g cumin seeds
• 10g coriander seeds
• 10 cardamom seeds
• Large pinch black peppercorns
• Large pinch nutmeg, grated

METHOD

Wash the rice in several changes of water, to remove any outside starch. Drain.

To make the spice blend: toast the spices for a few minutes in a hot pan, until they start to release their aromas. Allow to cool and grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Warm the saffron strands in a hot pan without burning them, then crush it in a mortar and pestle with ½ tsp of the sugar. Dissolve the mixture in the boiling water. Leave this mixture aside for 30 minutes.

Gently fry the raisins in butter for 1 minute and set aside.

In a large pot or frying pan melt the remaining butter and add the canola oil.

Add the onions and fry them until golden brown. Then add the spice mixture and salt and cook for a few minutes without burning.

Sprinkle over the remaining sugar and when this dissolves, add the rice and coat well in the spiced butter. Stir in the apricots, carrots and red pepper, coating everything with the spice mixture.

Pour over the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook rapidly uncovered for 20 minutes until the broth is absorbed.

Spray and Cook the bottom of another pot and line with the potato slices. Spoon the rice mixture in a pyramid shape on top of the potatoes.

Cover with a clean cloth under the pot’s lid and steam on the lowest heat for another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it continue to cook in its own steam for another 15 minutes.

Lift out a ladle full of the rice and blend it with the saffron water. Warm it up separately and keep it aside for garnish.

To serve: loosen the rest of the rice using a fork and spoon onto a serving platter in a pyramid. Sprinkle with the saffron rice, nuts and raisins and garnish with the crisp potato slices.

Serves: 8 - 10, Preparation time: 35min, Cooking time: 40 - 50min

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