Golden spiced pilaf with crispy shallots
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus resting
- Easy
- Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
- 250g basmati rice
- 25g butter
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 8 cardamom pods
- 1 star anise
- 1 lemon
- 600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock, or 1 stock cube mixed with hot water from the kettle
- 6 shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 50g nuts of your choice (we used a mixture of cashews, pistachios and flaked almonds)
- 200g natural yogurt
- large pinch of saffron
- 125g dried fruit of your choice, such as apricots, cranberries or raisins
- handful of coriander, leaves picked
Method
- STEP 1
Tip the rice into a saucepan and cover with warm water, then leave to soak for 30 mins.
- STEP 2
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, then drizzle in the oil and fry the onion and garlic for 8-10 mins, stirring until the onion is translucent.
- STEP 3
Stir in the ground and whole spices, sizzling them in the butter and oil for 1-2 mins, then drain the rice and add it to the pan. Peel three long strips of zest from the lemon using a vegetable peeler, and drop these into the pan. Stir everything together, pour over the stock and bring to a simmer. Stir again and cover, then continue to simmer for 2 mins more. Turn off the heat and leave to stand, without opening the lid, for 15 mins.
- STEP 4
Pour a 2cm depth of oil into a deep pan or wok set over a medium heat and heat to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 20 seconds. Fry the shallots in two batches, sizzling for 8 mins per batch until golden brown. This will take a while, and they catch quickly, so watch closely to prevent this. Spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper using a slotted spoon, then sprinkle with salt and leave to cool slightly.
- STEP 5
Toast the nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for 2-3 mins until golden. Mix the yogurt with the saffron and a pinch of salt in a small serving bowl and set aside.
- STEP 6
Uncover the rice and check it’s ready – it should be tender and all the liquid should have been absorbed. If not, cover and leave to stand for another 5 mins. Once cooked, fluff up the grains using a fork, and stir through the nuts and dried fruit. Tip out onto a serving platter, removing the whole spices and lemon peel as you do. Scatter over the crispy shallots and the coriander leaves, then serve with the saffron yogurt on the side.
