Recipe:
Ingredient Notes:
- Rice: While any long-grain rice will work well, I particularly love using Basmati for its distinct flavor.
- Dried Fruit: Feel free to customize your dried fruit mix! Great options include various types of raisins, dried apricots, figs, cherries, and prunes.
- Spices: For a sophisticated and rich flavor, I highly recommend whole cinnamon and star anise. In addition, you can easily remove them once they’ve infused enough flavor. Turmeric, however, is best used in its ground form.
- Onions: Yellow onions are perfectly fine for this recipe, but white onions or shallots are also good alternatives. I don’t recommend red onions, as their color doesn’t quite fit the dish’s aesthetic.
- Garlic: Stick to fresh garlic here; garlic powder just won’t deliver the same punch.
- Stock: If you have chicken stock (especially homemade or frozen), I highly recommend adding it, as it will significantly deepen the sauce’s flavor. If stock isn’t an option, water works just fine.
Let’s start cooking.
Finely chop the onion. Chop the garlic into medium-sized pieces. Cut the dried apricots and figs into small pieces.
Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic and turmeric. Fry for one minute, stirring constantly.
Add the rice and stir until the oil coats each grain.
Pour in the stock and add the dried fruit, cinnamon, star anise, and salt to taste.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook the rice until done, about 20 minutes. Add more stock or water as needed during cooking.
Enjoy!
This Basmati Pilaf with Dried Fruits recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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