Saffron Rice Pilaf

Name: Saffron Rice Pilaf
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 teaspoons saffron threads; 2 Tbsps ghee or clarified butter (see Recipe Note); 4 cardamom pods; 1 small (2-inch) cinnamon stick; 4 whole cloves; 10 black peppercorns; 591 milliliters long grain white rice; 2 teaspoons Kosher salt; 2 teaspoons Zest from one orange (about , packed); 2 Tbsps pistachios; 2 Tbsps blanched slivered or sliced almonds; 2 Tbsps golden raisins

Saffron Rice Pilaf requires roughly 50 minutes from start to finish. One portion of this dish contains about 9g of protein, 10g of fat, and a total of 457 calories. This recipe serves 5. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free and lacto ovo vegetarian diet. A mixture of rice, clarified butter, pistachios, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so flavorful. Several people really liked this hor d'oeuvre. Users who liked this recipe also liked The Secret Ingredient (Saffron): Saffron and Orange Rice Pilaf with Orzo and Pine Nuts, Saffron Rice Pilaf, and Saffron Rice Pilaf.

Instructions

Heat a large kettle of water (a little more than a quart) to boiling.

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Water

Place saffron in a small bowl, cover with 2 tablespoons of the hot water, set aside.

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Saffron

Water

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Bowl

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or clarified butter in a 2 quart, thick-bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat until hot.

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Ghee

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Sauce Pan

Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns to the pan. Gently fry the spices for 2 minutes.

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Cinnamon Stick

Cardamom Pods

Peppercorns

Clove

Spices

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Frying Pan

Add rice, and fry for 3 more minutes, stirring after a minute or two. Some of the rice should brown at the bottom of the pan.

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Rice

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Frying Pan

Remove the pan from heat.

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Frying Pan

Add four cups of the hot water you prepared in step one to the pan, taking care to add slowly as it may bubble up and splatter.

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Water

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Frying Pan

Add two teaspoons of salt.

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Salt

Add the saffron threads and their soaking liquid.

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Saffron

Add the orange zest.

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Orange Zest

Stir, bring quickly to a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes.

Toast pistachios and almonds: While the rice is cooking, in a small frying pan, heat on medium high heat and add the pistachios and slivered almonds. Toast until lightly browned, about 3 or 4 minutes, remove from pan into a bowl.

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Slivered Almonds

Pistachio Nuts

Almonds

Toast

Rice

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Frying Pan

Bowl

Remove spices, add raisins: After 20 minutes, remove the lid from the rice, pick out the spices that have floated to the top of the rice - the cinnamon stick, any whole cardamom pods, black peppercorns or cloves.

Ingredients you will need

Black Peppercorns

Cinnamon Stick

Cardamom Pods

Raisins