Pilaf is a dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth. Pilaf is served all over Turkey, and can be anything from a simple dish of rice fried in butter to a more lavish version like this with chicken, dried fruit and colourful vegetables.
Turkish Chicken Pilaf
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
Preparation: 20 min Cooking: 25 min
4 skinned and boned chicken breast
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion
1 red pepper
1 small aubergine
1 courgette
225g tomatoes
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp saffron powder
1 dried chilli
150ml chicken stock
225g long grain rice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
40g currants
salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Directions
1. Cut the chicken into bite sized cubes. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Slit the tomato skins, cover with boiling water, leave for a few minutes, then peel and dice. Cut the aubergine and courgette into small pieces. Deseed and chop the pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chicken, onion, garlic, aubergine, courgette and pepper and fry over high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Stir the saffron into the stock with 450ml water, then pour into the pan. Bring to the boil.
3. Crumble the dried chilli, add to the pan and stir in the currants, rice and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring now and again and adding more water if necessary.
4. Finely chop the parsley about 2 tablespoons. Spoon the pilaf into a serving dish and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
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Tags:
chicken pilaf, chicken pilaf recipe, pilaf, pilaf recipe, turkish pilaf
