PILAF RECIPE

VERMICELLI PILAF
Boneless Lamb Shoulder Or Leg
2 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Tomatoe Paste
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 2/3 Cup Vermicelli (Barley Shaped)
6 Tablespoon Margarine
3 1/2 Cup Water
Cut meat into 2-2 1/2 cm (1 inch) cubes. Braise for 40 minutes. Add salt. Cover and braise until tender. Stir in tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Season with black pepper. Set aside. Brown vermicelli in margarine for 3-4 minutes until golden brown in a saucepan, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Add hot water and salt; mix well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vermicelli is tender; drain. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 20 minutes before serving. Arrange verimcelli pilaf on a serving plate in ring form. Place meat in center. Serve hot.

AZERBAIJANI PILAF
2 Glasses Of Rice
3 Glasses Of Water Or Meat Broth
3 Tablespoons Cooking Fat
1000 Gr. Broad Beans
2 Tablespoons Margarine
1 1/2 Glasses Water
1 Teaspoon Flour
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Bunches Of Dill
Salt
Melt the margarine and put into a saucepan with 1 1/2 glasses of water, flour, lemon juice, and a little salt, and mix. Pare the outer and inner skins of the broad beans. Add to the saucepan, cover and bring to the boil on a high heat, then cook for 30-40 minutes over moderate heat until the broad beans are partially cooked. Heat 3 glasses of water or meat broth separately and add to the saucepan, bring to boil, remove from heat and set aside. Put rice into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of salt and enough warm water to cover and set aside until the water cools. Drain the rice and wash salt away. Drain again. Heat the cooking fat in a saucepan and add the rice. Saute rice for 10 minutes, stirring constantly over high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and the broad beans to the rice, cover and cook first over high, then over moderate heat until the rice absorbs the water. Chop the dill. Simmer rice for a few minutes, add the dill, stir and serve.

EGGPLANT PILAF IN OLIVE OIL
1 md Eggplant
Salt
2 c Long grain rice
Water
3/4 c Olive oil
3 ea Chopped onions
2 tb Pine nuts
1 lg Ripe tomato, diced
2 tb Currants
1 tb Sugar
2 ts Cinnamon
2 ts Allspice
Salt & pepper
1 c Fresh dill, chopped
Cut stem off eggplant. Using vegetable peeler, peeling lengthwise, remove a strip of skin, leave next strip on. Continue to peel in this striped fashion. Cube eggplant into 1" cubes. Sprinkle generously with salt & set aside for 3 hours. Rinse well. Drain as well as possible, but don't tear the eggplant. Soak rice in hot water mixed with 2 ts salt, until the water turns cool. Drain well & set aside. Heat olive oil in a heavy pan & cook eggplant cubes, stirring frequently. till tender & golden brown on all sides. Drain to remove excess oil. Add onions & pine nuts to same pan. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the rice & cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in eggplant & rest of ingredients except dill. Add 3 cups hot water, bring to a boil, cover & cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low & cook till all the water has been absorbed. Stir in the dill. Ensure that the skillet lid has a very good seal. Cover the skillet with a clean towel & put the lid on top of that. Set pan on a heat diffuser over the lowest possible heat & leave it for 30 minutes. Stir.
Serve cold.

PILAF (STEAMED SAUTED RICE)
2 tb Butter
4 tb Butter; melted
1 c Rice, white; long or medium grain, uncooked
2 c Chicken stock; fresh or can
1/2 ts Salt
Black pepper; freshly ground
In a heavy 2 to 3 quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat. When foam begins to subside, add the rice and stir for 2 or 3 minutes until all the grains are evenly coated. Do not let the rice get brown. Pour in the stock, add the salt and a few grindings of pepper, and bring to
boil, stirring constantly. Cover the pan and reduce heat to its lowest point. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender but still slightly resistant to the bite. Pour in 4 tablespoons of melted butter and toss the rice with a fork until the grains glisten. Drape a towel over the rice and let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

UZBEKISTAN PILAF RICE
2 Cups Of Rice, Pre-Soaked And Drained,
5 Cups Of Water, Or Beef Stock,
1/2 Lb Lamb Leg Meat, Cubed,
1/3 Cups Of Canola Oil,
2 Onions, Finely Diced,
3 Medium Carrots
5 Garlic Heads
2 Tsp Salt,
1 Tsp Cumin,
1 Tsp Red Pepper
Saute onions and carrots, over medium heat until lightly browned.Add meat and stir until browned. Add 2 cups water, and cook over medium-high heat about 6-7 minutes until meat is tender.Add rice, and heads of garlic into stew.Add rest of the water, do not disturb layering of rice and stew, and boil uncovered until rice absorbs water, for about 45 minutes. When rice is soft reduce heat to minimum, cover pot and let the rice steam 25 more minutes.

BULGUR PILAF
2 Tbs Butter,
1 Onion, Sliced Finely,
1/2 Cup Vermicelli,
2 Cups Bulghur (Cracked Wheat),
4 Cups Chicken Stock Or Water,
Salt And Pepper
Saute the onion until transparent, break vermicelli into 1/2 inch pieces and add to onions. Continue to saute with onions for 4-5 minutes until they are lightly browned. Wash bulgur and drain well, add it to the saucepan. Add the chicken stock and the seasonings. Cover the pan and simmer on low heat until cooked. let it stand for 10 minutes. If you would like serve it with garbanzo beans and plain yoghurt.

RICE PILAF WITH CHICK PEAS
150 Gr Chick Peas -Soaked Overnight
200 Gr Rice -Washed And Drained
60 Gr Butter
1/2 Litre Chicken Broth
Wash and drain the rice. Put chick peas into a large saucepan and cover them with water, add some salt, bring to boil, then cover and simmer 1-2 hours until they are soft enough. After draining them, melt the butter in a medium size saucepan, and then add the rice and fry for a minute. Add in the cooked chick peas and mix. Pour in the hot broth, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the grains are soft. Serve hot.

PILAF WITH LAMB MEAT
Boneless Lamb Shoulder Or Leg
2 Medium Size Onion
6 Tablespoon Margarine
2 Small Size Tomatoe
3 1/2 Cup Hot Water
2 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Cup Rice
Cut meat into 2-2 1/2 cm (1 inch) cubes. Combine with finely chopped onions. Saute in margarine for a few minutes. Cover and braise for 40 minutes in a covered saucepan. Add minced tomatoes, hot water, salt and black pepper; stir well. Cover and simmer until meat is tender. Stir in rice; mix well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender; drain. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 20 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

PILAF WITH CHESTNUTS
½ Piece Chicken
4 Cup Water
3 Teaspoon Salt
2 3/4 Cup Chestnut
2 Small Size Carrot
6 Tablespoon Margarine
2 Cup Rice
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
Simmer chicken in salted water for about 35 minutes or until tender; drain. Bone and dice. Set aside, reserving broth. Boil chestnuts for 10 minutes. Peel and cut into 2-3 pieces. Set aside. Scrape carrots. Cut into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thick slices lengthwise. Cut each slice into 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) long pieces. Saute carrots in melted margarine, covered, for 4-5 minutes. Wash and drain rice. Stir in carrots; mix well. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Complete volume of reserved broth to 3 1/3 cups. Add rice-carrot mixture. Blend in chestnuts. Season with salt and sugar. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender; drain. Sprinkle with spices. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Toss slightly. Place on a serving plate. Arrange diced chicken over pilaf. Serve hot.

TAVERN PILAF
2 Large Size Onion
1 3/4 Cup Ground Meat (Coarse)
6 Tablespoon Margarine
7 Medium Size Green Pepper
2 Tablespoon Tomatoe Paste
4 Medium Size Tomatoe
4 Cup Water
2 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cup Bulgur
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
Saute ground meat and chopped onions in margarine for 20 minutes or until meat is crumby, in a covered saucepan; drain: Remove stems and seeds of peppers. Cut into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thick rings. Add to meat; stir. Saute for 2 minutes. Blend in tomato paste; mix well. Cut tomatoes into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes. Stir in ground meat. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add hot water and salt. Bring to boil. Stir in bulgur; mix well. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until tender; drain. Season with spices. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 20 minutes before. Serve hot.

WHEAT - LENTIL PILAF
1 Cup Green Lentil
6 1/2 Cup Water
2 Small Size Onion
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoon Tomatoe Paste
2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cup Bulgur
1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper
1/3 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Soak lentil overnight with water. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until tender. Set aside. Saute finely chopped onions in olive oil for 5-6 minutes in a covered saucepan. Add lentils with cooking liquid, tomato paste, salt and water; stir well. Bring to boil. Stir in bulgur; mix well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes; drain. Sprinkle with spices. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 20 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold.

SULTAN 'S PILAF
2 Cup Rice
4 Cup Water
6 Tablespoon Margarine
2 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Medium Size Onion
1 Slim Slice Bread (Stale)
2 1/4 Teacup Ground Meat
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoon Flour
1 1/2 Tablespoon Oil
3 Small Size Tomatoe
Put water in a saucepan. Add margarine and salt. Bring to boil. Stir in rice; mix slowly .Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender; drain. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 15-20 minutes. Set aside. Combine ground meat, bread (soaked in water and squeezed dry) grated onions, salt and pepper; in a bowl; mix well. Shape into balls 2 cm (3/4 inch) in diameter. Coat meat balls with flour in a shallow pan shaking back and forth. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Brown meat balls on all sides in oil, remove from skillet. Add minced tomatoes into drip- rings; mix well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in meat balls. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Arrange rice pilaf on a serving plate in ring from. Place meat balls with sauce in center. Serve hot.

ISTANBUL PILAF
1 Large Size Chicken
4 Cup Water
2 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Piece Chicken Lives
1/3 Cup Almond (Blanched)
6 Tablespoon Margarine
2 Cup Rice
1 1/2 Teaspoon Saffron Or Safflower
1/2 Cup Fresh Peas
1/3 Cup Pistachio Nuts
Simmer chicken breast in salted water for 35 minutes or until tender. Remove from liquid; drain. Cut into shreds. Set aside. Complete volume of broth to 3 1/3 cups; reserve. Cut chicken liver into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes. Saute with almonds in margarine until light brown: Stir in rice; mix well. Saute for a few minutes. Add hot broth, salt and saffron; mix well. Cover simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken meat and peas. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until rice is tender; drain. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 20 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with pistachionuts. Toss slightly. Serve hot.

BRAIDED RICE
½ Bird Chicken
4 Cups Water
½ Desert Spoons Salt
2 Cups Rice
6 Table Spoons Margarine
4 Ea Chicken Liver
½ Cups Peans (Pre - Cooks)
2 Desert Spoons Black Pepper
1/3 Cups Flour
1 Ea Egg
½ Table Spoon Oil
½ Cup Pistachio Nut
Wash the chicken. Boil for about 35 minutes on low heat with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt, boil and divide the meat into small pieces. Wash and drain the rice. Put 5 table spoons of margarine in a pan and melt it. Chop the liver into 0,5 - 1 cm cubes and sauté in fat, add rice and stir a few times. Add hot water to the chicken stock to get 4 cups. Add water and 2 teaspoons of salt to rice and stir. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes on first medium and then low heat until all the liquid is absorbed. 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the peas and the black pepper, cover with a napkin and leave for 20 minutes. Sieve the flour into a bowl, add the remaining salt, make a hole in the middle and break the egg into it. Add oil and ½ table spoon water and knead into a dough and spread it to a thickness of 1 mm. Cut into 7 mm wide strips. Smear margarine to the inside of pot with a round bottom of 20 - 25 cm diameter. Place the dough strips 7 mm apart, making a grid (make sure that the end of the strips fall away from the edge of the pot. Place the peeled pistachios among the dough strips. Place alternately one layer of cooked rice and one layer of chicken meat on top of the dough tightly. Cover the whole with extra lengths of the dough strips. Bake in a pre - heated oven of medium temperature for approximately 15 minutes. Cover the pot with a round serving plate and turn out the baked dish, slice and serve.

PILAF WITH LIVER AND NUTS
2 Cup Rice
1/2 Piece Lamb Liver
5 Tablespoon Pinenut
6 Tablespoon Margarine
4 Cuphot Water
2 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
3 Tablespoon Currant
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Peel outer membrane of liver. Cut into pea sized cubes. Combine liver and pinenuts. Saute in margarine for 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally. Wash and drain rice. Stir in liver-nut mixture. Saute for 1-2 minutes more. Add water. Season with salt and sugar. Sprinkle with currants. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender; drain. Sprinkle with black pepper. Let stand covered for 20 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

GOLDEN RICE PILAF
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cups Chicken Broth
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
Generous Pinch Of Saffron
1 1/2 Cup Long Grain White Rice
Cook the onion in olive oil in a meduim sacuepan until golden, about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth, turmeric and saffron; heat to boiling. Stir in the rice; cover and cook, without stirring, until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

SPINACH AND CARROT RICE PILAF
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Medium Carrot, Grated
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Cup Long Grain Rice
2 Cups Vegetable Stock Or Chicken Stock
10 Ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Saute carrot and onion 3-4 minutes or until onion begins to turn gold. Stir in rice and saute another 3-4 minutes or until rice turns gold. Stir in stock.Increase heat to high and bring to boil.Immediately reduce heat to low.Cover saucepan and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir spinach into rice mixture and cook until heated throughout.