Mistresses who can’t boast of any experience in cooking pilaf often get rice porridge filled with a whole mass of clumps of clumps, but not a traditional Uzbek dish. When this happens every time, all kinds of experiments begin. Cooking lovers use different types of rice, certain types of meat, try to follow the advice of friends. Quite often, the results of such actions are deplorable, which forces them to give up.
How to cook pilaf crumbly? What recipes should be adopted? We suggest that you find out about this by looking at the practical recommendations presented in our publication.
About choosing dishes
How to cook pilaf? It is difficult to achieve the expected results using the first available pan, which has a thin bottom and walls. Following proven solutions, a cast iron cauldron is worth using. The latter is better to put not on the stove, but on an open fire. If it is not possible to cook in an open space, you can choose the first option. The main thing is that the dishes comply with the canon. Not only a cauldron is suitable here, but also a capacious cast-iron pan or deep ducklings.
The above sample containers have specific qualities. The main property is the ability to retain heat inside, uniform temperature distribution. Ready pilaf is not taken by lumps. The meat comes out as juicy and soft as possible.
Which meat is better to give preference?
How to cook a delicious pilaf? To achieve a traditional taste, lamb should be used. However, there are many noteworthy recipes that allow the use of beef, poultry and pork. If you plan to get a classic, spicy taste, preference should be given to lamb.
It is recommended to choose meat obtained from the scapula or brisket. The pulp of the femoral part is also suitable. You can add meaty ribs. The pronounced stiffness of the product is not a problem. Due to the languishing of meat on the fire, the product will soften.
How to cook rice for pilaf?
These days, cooking enthusiasts have access to an impressive amount of individual rice options. You can use traditional Uzbek and Tajik varieties. We are talking about groats of the category Alanga, Devzira, Oshpar, Kenja. Good solutions - Mexican, Arabic, Italian rice.
The decisive importance in choosing the basis for the preparation of pilaf should be given to the nature of the product. It is better to use long-grained varieties. It is desirable that the starch content is at a very low level. Cooking experts advise pre-soaking rice. Rinse grains and drain water is recommended 6-8 times. Such actions remove excess starch from the product structure. As a result, the risk of sticking cereals will be minimized.
Fat or vegetable oil?
During cooking, you can use vegetable oil or animal fat. The final decision is always up to the cook. Using an extremely limited amount of ingredient will make the finished dish dry. Therefore, it is better to make pilaf fat. Refined oil does not have a pronounced taste and aroma. On the contrary, animal fat will bring specific shades to the nature of pilaf, which not every consumer will like.
A few words about spices
The classic recipe involves the use of seasoning for pilaf, zira, cumin, barberry and hot pepper. These spices have a bright, piquant aroma, giving the dish a moderate pungency and perfectly complementing the meat component. A good addition to this composition will be garlic, thyme, suneli hops, saffron. It is recommended to put the whole garlic in the pilaf, after peeling the head from the husk.
Crumbly pork pilaf
According to cultural beliefs, Muslims never use pork as an ingredient for cooking pilaf. If the family does not have such restrictions, it is worth using a recipe, which will be discussed later.
How to cook pork pilaf? Use the following set of ingredients:
- Pork pulp - 500 grams.
- Long grain rice - 1 kg.
- Sunflower oil - half a glass.
- Onions - 4-5 pieces.
- Large carrots - 3-4 pieces.
- Garlic - 2 heads.
- Black pepper, bay leaf, salt, turmeric - to taste.
Meat, rice and vegetables are taken in approximately equal proportions. In this case, the dish will turn out balanced in all respects and give a rich taste. Cooking must be done in a deep cauldron.
So, how to cook pork pilaf? First, rice is washed several times. Water should become transparent, which will tell you about the qualitative leaching of starch. Peeled carrots and onions. The vegetables are rinsed and then chopped. Carrots are cut into thin strips, and onions are cut into half rings. Pork is soaked in water, dried and divided into pieces of medium size.
Half of the norm of vegetable oil is poured into a pan, and then heated until the first bubbles form. Prepared pork is laid here. The meat is fried until a light brown crust appears. The product is sent to the cauldron. Add oil to the pan and put onion and carrot slices. Vegetables do not need to be fried. It is enough to soften them slightly. The ingredient is also transferred to the cauldron. Then, seasoned together with a mixture of spices.
Strain rice is laid evenly on meat mixed with vegetables. Inside the cauldron, slowly pour water along the wall of the tank. The liquid should cover the grits a few centimeters. On the stove make a big fire. When the water boils, the flame level is set to a minimum. Pilaf is covered.
Cooking is continued for half an hour. Then the cauldron is removed from the fire. Garlic is stuck in the pilaf. The container is again covered with a lid and wrapped in a warm blanket. The dish is allowed to reach the standard.
Pilaf with chicken
The recipe should be used by those who want to enjoy a tasty and fragrant, but at the same time quite light in content dish. How to cook pilaf, using poultry as a meat ingredient? As in the previous case, first we note the necessary ingredients:
- Chicken fillet - 400 grams.
- Long steamed rice - one and a half glasses.
- Onions - 2 pieces.
- Medium-sized carrots - 2-3 pieces.
- Sunflower oil in an amount sufficient for high-quality roasting of ingredients.
- Garlic - 1 head.
- Special seasoning for pilaf.
How to cook chicken pilaf? Starch is washed out of rice under running water. The bird fillet is cut into moderately small pieces. Peel, wash and chop vegetables. You can grind carrots on a grater. Onions should be cut in half rings.
The bottom of the cauldron is covered with vegetable oil. A mixture of meat and vegetables is laid here. Ingredients are fried directly in a container over low heat. Preliminary heat treatment is performed until the products have a light golden hue.
How to cook pilaf in a cauldron? A small amount of water is poured into the container. The mixture of meat and vegetables is slightly dried, salted and spices are added. Washed and expressed rice is laid on top. The groats are leveled and a number of holes are made inside. Cooking is carried out over medium heat. When the liquid does not remain on the surface of the rice, stick the cloves of garlic.
Pilaf is left to languish under the lid for 5-10 minutes. This time is enough for the rice to absorb residual moisture and become friable. In conclusion, the dish can be mixed and resorted to tasting.
How to cook Uzbek pilaf?
The dish will turn out worthy of the highest praise if you resort to using traditional Uzbek recipes. If everything is done correctly, there will be no hint of rice lumps. Pilaf will come out extremely fragrant and crumbly.
How to cook pilaf according to the Uzbek recipe? Use the following set of ingredients:
- Lamb - 500 grams.
- Large carrots - 3-4 pieces.
- Large onions - 4 pieces.
- Long rice - 500 grams.
- Vegetable oil - about 150-200 grams.
- Head of garlic.
- Spice mix: zira, thyme, cumin, barberry, saffron.
The rice is washed several times, and then left to soak in cold water. Lamb is cut into medium pieces. Vegetables are peeled and washed. Onions are cut into large cubes. Carrots are chopped with straws.
Vegetable oil is heated in a pan. Stack meat here and fry until a blush appears. Add a mixture of vegetables and spices. Frying is continued for another 5 minutes.
The contents of the pan are sent to the cauldron. Rice is placed on top and a few teaspoons of salt are added. Rice is gently poured with water. The capacity is sent to the stove, setting medium heat. After boiling, the cauldron is covered with a lid. The flame is reduced and the pilaf is allowed to cook for 20 minutes. Then the dish is left to infuse for a quarter of an hour.
Useful Tips
Once again, back to the question of how to cook pilaf crumbly correctly? So that the finished dish never disappoints with its qualities, it is enough to pay attention to the following points:
- Products must be added in a specific sequence. The optimal solution is to pre-fry the meat ingredients with onions. Shredded carrots are also added here. The mixture of ingredients is seasoned with spices, and then placed in a container that will be used for cooking pilaf. Everything is poured with hot water so that the liquid level is not less than 2-3 cm above the meat layer.
- After putting rice in a container, do not mix it. It is recommended to carefully level the surface of the cereal and place the head of garlic inside.
- In the process of cooking, the rice should not be cooked, but steamed slowly, languishing over moderate heat. To achieve uniform cooking of cereals, it is worth making a series of holes on the surface with a wooden stick. Through such holes, it will be easier for a couple to rise up.
- During cooking, rice should be under the lid. The latter can be raised briefly to make up for the lack of water in the tank.
- After the dish reaches full readiness, it is important not to remove the lid for the next 10-15 minutes. Pilaf must be removed from the heat and let it brew. Otherwise, unwanted lumps may form.
Cooking pilaf in a slow cooker
If you wish, you can cook the dish using the modern solution. How to cook pilaf in a slow cooker? The features here are identical to the specifics of cooking a dish using a cauldron. The main thing is that a special “Pilau” mode should be provided in the multicooker. It remains only to prepare the meat and vegetable frying, based on the advice from our article. Then it’s enough to put the ingredients in the device’s capacity, pour rice, pour water and set the desired mode. A “smart” device will do everything on its own.
Finally
The formulations discussed in our publication have some specific differences. At the same time, regardless of the chosen option, strict adherence to the recommendations allows you to achieve a canonical taste and make the rice friable. Regarding the use of spices, there is room for experimentation. Do not be afraid to use various combinations of seasonings. After all, the only way to achieve a taste that will fully satisfy individual preferences.