Rice Pilaf

Rice pilaf is basically rice cooked in the juice of chicken broth or stock and some veggies. U can make it only with onions or add any other veggies. I personally like onions, green and/or red peppers the best, carrots and a little celery added is great too. I love mushroom with rice; u can add if u like. Basically go with what you have or buy what you prefer. U can use any kind of rice...I think u like brown rice too so I wrote this for any kind of rice...and using different kinds of veggies hopefully that won't be confusing...if it is I can make two separate recipes...let me know...In the picture it's the one I made yesterday with brown rice and all I had was carrots, onion and some broccoli. 

I was looking for my recipe and I realized I gave u the book it was in. What I do anyway is look at a recipe as a guideline and then I just do my own thing. U can look up rice pilaf on the internet if u want some more precise measurements. 

Ingredients

-Rice- any kind- Important: look on package for the amount of water per amount of rice and the time it takes to cook

·     -   Chicken broth, stock, bouillion or 1 cube* see at bottom

·        -1-2  tbs Olive oil or butter if u don’t have it. Careful butter burns fast put veggies in right away..

·        -1 or 1/2 Onion

·        -1 or 1/2 green or red or both peppers

·       - any or not other veggies u have or like; 1 carrot, 1 celery stick, cut in small pieces...

      u can use broccoli or anything else u want too if u want lots of veggies

·        -Garlic clove chopped or pressed (if u don’t have a garlic press, squish garlic with large knife by hitting down on knife and then cut up in pieces)

·       - Mushrooms optional...to add later cut in pieces.

·        -Slivered almonds or sunflower seeds even sesame seeds if u like it to add at end. 

      (roasted are better I find...u can roast them in a pan turning them constantly with wooden spoon and keeping an eye to take them out as soon as they turn golden, burns quickly after they turn golden brown..)

·        Optional:  fresh cut up parsley for taste and colour to add just as u serve

Directions: 

In either a pan or a pot that is not going to stick too much, cook in the olive oil or butter or other oil, on med-high (or lower if it burns) the onions until they become transparent, add, peppers, carrots and any other veggies that don’t cook too fast...for about 5 min.

If adding fast cooking veggies (broccoli, zucchini) and mushroom add now with garlic for 1-2 min.

If u r using brown, or wild or any rice that takes really long to cook (brown and wild can take 45-55 to cook) remove the veggies from pan and then roast the rice in the remaining oil and juices for about 3 min..just to roast to a little golden colour not dark or its burnt!  For regular white rice that take 15-20 mins to cook just add it to the veggies and roast all together.  

If using chicken bouillon cube add the amount of water it says on the package of rice, for the amount and kind of rice your using. Add cube. 

If ur using a liquid broth use less water...so that the broth and water = the amount of water it says to use with the amount of rice on package. 

If u had roasted in pan; pour into a pot with cover now. Mix all together and after heating the liquid on high until it has boiled a little; lower temperature to low and cover. Cook for the amount of time the rice package specifies. 

If ur using brown rice add the cooked veggies u had taken out: 10-15 min before the end. 

When time is up take off the heat and let it sit for 5-10 mins; add almonds and fluff with fork. Add parsley before serving. Voila!

*I mostly use chicken bouillon cubes, and although not always easy to find preferably without MSG. Just add it to ur rice water. U can do that to add taste to ur regular rice too. Read on bouillon and how to make stock and gravy on other post labelled as such. : )