Basmati Rice Pilaf With Cauliflower, Carrots and Peas
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 6
- 1cup basmati rice
- 1½tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2¾cups water
- Salt to taste
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1cup diced carrots
- 6ounces cauliflower, broken into very small florets (2 cups)
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley
- ½teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds (from green cardamom pods)
- ½teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1teaspoon sugar
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ⅓cup currants, sultanas, golden or black raisins, soaked for 20 minutes in hot water and drained
- ½ to 1cup frozen peas (to taste)
- 3tablespoons pine nuts, toasted until golden
- ¾cup cooked wild rice (about ⅓ cup uncooked)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
300 calories; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 639 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Soak basmati rice in water to cover for 30 minutes (prepare the other ingredients during this time). Drain.
- Step 2
In a large, heavy saucepan melt butter over medium high heat and add rice. Cook, stirring, until grains are coated with butter, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and salt to taste (I use about ¾ teaspoon). Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Do not lift lid or stir rice during this time. Remove from heat, remove lid and place a dish towel over the pan. Return lid and let sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes for shallots, 4 to 5 minutes for onion. Add carrots, cauliflower, dill or parsley, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, currants or raisins, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir together. Add remaining ¾ cup water and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add peas, turn up heat and cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and fragrant, and most of the water has evaporated. If there is more than a tablespoon of water in the pan, drain.
- Step 4
Transfer rice to a large bowl or a large buttered or oiled baking dish. Stir toasted pine nuts and the vegetable and spice mixture into the rice. Add wild rice and toss together. Taste and adjust seasoning. If not serving right away, cover baking dish with foil. Reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Tips
- For a vegan version, use all olive oil.
- Advance preparation: The cooked rice will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.The entire pilaf can be cooked up to a day ahead and reheated in the oven. It can also be frozen.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Amy
I can't believe there aren't any notes yet - this dish is great. I thought about adding some chickpeas to make it a more substantial main, but I'm glad I didn't. I think I might try some lentils though next time.
DMR
This recipe is very good, but I don’t think presoaking the basmati rice is helpful. I just cook the rice as I normally do and it ends up less gluey and easier to blend with the other ingredients. I increase all the vegetables by 1.5 to 2 fold, which stretches lightens the dish. Liberating the cardamom seeds from their shells and grinding them to produce the needed 1/2 tsp is rather trying, but worth it for the considerable flavor contribution. I complain while doing it, which helps.
Jessica
Rather than cook rice and vegetables separately, I sautéed and the vegetables, added the uncooked rice and everything else except the pine nuts to the vegetables, put in 2 cups of water and simmered for 15 minutes. I did the thing with the towel, and then garnished with the pine nuts.
julia
Toss cauliflower in olive oil and curry powder and roast at 400 degrees for 20 mins, tossing at 10 mins. Use a whole jalapeño. Amply serves for 4.
Elizabeth
This is an excellent recipe. Didn't add the wild rice but would be good next time. However, make sure the dish towel you use isn't infused with fabric softener or you will wind up with Downey-scented rice.
CHM
This was delicious, but a bit fussy to make. I used ground cardamom instead of grinding from seeds. I didn’t add cauliflower. I used a mix of carrots and parsnips. I steamed the cauliflower separately and served it on the side with butter and parsley. Dinner guests loved it!
CW
Terrific flavours. Definitely feeds more than 4. I made the vegetables and spice mixture the night before which simplified prep a lot next day.
Laura Schwartz
We love this recipe. I made a Thanksgiving variation that we like even better by substituting pecans for the pinon nuts and dried cranberries for the raisins.
Peter
This is phenomenal. I made it word for word as written, doubling the peas as suggested, and served with Sam Sifton's oven-roasted chicken shawarma and a romaine-feta salad. So good!! We kept going back for more. I can't say enough about it except that it will easily feed 4 as a main course, and 6-8 as a side which I would suggest heartily. Truly, this is a lot of rice.
Sally
Starting with brown basmati from the freezer, this came together very quickly. I used ghee instead of butter or oil and added the currant soaking water as part of the additional liquid. The pine nuts were a bit lost in the final dish so the second time, I used toasted, slivered almonds for more texture. Rather than the sugar, on the second making, I just used a small handful of extra currants, and that was also an improvement.
Elizabeth
This is an excellent recipe. Didn't add the wild rice but would be good next time. However, make sure the dish towel you use isn't infused with fabric softener or you will wind up with Downey-scented rice.
Tamar M
Very good but definitely does not serve 6 people
k
Too mushy rice
lucy
Easy peasy. A bit of a faff, but not too much. Try with a main course some time.
DMR
This recipe is very good, but I don’t think presoaking the basmati rice is helpful. I just cook the rice as I normally do and it ends up less gluey and easier to blend with the other ingredients. I increase all the vegetables by 1.5 to 2 fold, which stretches lightens the dish. Liberating the cardamom seeds from their shells and grinding them to produce the needed 1/2 tsp is rather trying, but worth it for the considerable flavor contribution. I complain while doing it, which helps.
Jamie Edwards
This takes at least 2 hrs prep and cook but so worth it - needs to be reintroduced to NYT cooking comfort food recommendations - thank you Martha. Cardamom rocks!
Jamie Edwards
Used smashed stove top roasted almonds instead of pine nuts.
Mesia
Great recipe. My basmati rice came out little softer then I like and would cut down the cooking time a bit next time. Used cranberries because I had them on hand and they were great. Served with sirloin steak-tip kabobs with berbere spice on them.
Heather
I found this recipe very pantry friendly to our COVID-19 quarantined household. I used frozen riced cauliflower and substituted slivered almonds for the pine nuts, as that was what we had on hand.
julia
Toss cauliflower in olive oil and curry powder and roast at 400 degrees for 20 mins, tossing at 10 mins. Use a whole jalapeño. Amply serves for 4.
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