Pilaf: now with cabbage
24 October 2021 07:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
And not made from a recipe on the back of an instant rice packet!
Additional influences are:
Samin Nosrat's recipe for tahdig, which
kayloulee made for me back in... 2018 maybe? Something like this one from the saltfatacidheat website, except there was parsley involved and also meat, unsure how much was from the cookbook and how much from K.
Budget Bytes curried cabbage
The "Nine-Spice roast vegetables with couscous" recipe in Campion and Curtis' In the Kitchen.
( Dietary and access notes )
A general note on pilaf / tahdig: if you wash the rice thoroughly, and then put it in the oil-base and (unlike risotto) do not touch it, you should get a nice crispy layer (per Samin Nosrat) called Tahdig in Farsi. I've futzed around and this is easier to achieve with meat fats: fry your meat briefly, put it aside, cook the pilaf, and then sort of ... sow the meat into holes in the rice to finish cooking. But you CAN achieve it with vegetable oils, especially if you have enameled or stoneware pots. My ikea fryingpan does not do the job.
( What you need and what you do with it )
Serves: eh... 2-3? 4 as a side?
ALTERNATIVE to incorporating meat: works as a good base/side for a not-leftover meat dish (eg, tonight I made venison in red wine sauce with leftover pilaf).
Honestly I'm not quite satisfied with the spice mix at the moment: it's pretty good with the saltiness of haloumi bit becomes bland if eaten alone. Sweet rather than smoked paprika, definitely; maybe a tiny dash of chili. Or just add salt? I never add salt, which is weird but also means that the most mundane restaurant soup entrée is exciting to me.
Additional influences are:
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
( Dietary and access notes )
A general note on pilaf / tahdig: if you wash the rice thoroughly, and then put it in the oil-base and (unlike risotto) do not touch it, you should get a nice crispy layer (per Samin Nosrat) called Tahdig in Farsi. I've futzed around and this is easier to achieve with meat fats: fry your meat briefly, put it aside, cook the pilaf, and then sort of ... sow the meat into holes in the rice to finish cooking. But you CAN achieve it with vegetable oils, especially if you have enameled or stoneware pots. My ikea fryingpan does not do the job.
( What you need and what you do with it )
Serves: eh... 2-3? 4 as a side?
ALTERNATIVE to incorporating meat: works as a good base/side for a not-leftover meat dish (eg, tonight I made venison in red wine sauce with leftover pilaf).
Honestly I'm not quite satisfied with the spice mix at the moment: it's pretty good with the saltiness of haloumi bit becomes bland if eaten alone. Sweet rather than smoked paprika, definitely; maybe a tiny dash of chili. Or just add salt? I never add salt, which is weird but also means that the most mundane restaurant soup entrée is exciting to me.