Home Soups Recipe for pilaf without meat with carrots. How to cook real pilaf: secrets and rules you can’t do without. Ingredients for cooking

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Recipe for pilaf without meat with carrots. How to cook real pilaf: secrets and rules you can’t do without. Ingredients for cooking

Rice

This is the main stumbling block of all cooks who have ever prepared pilaf. However, almost all of them agree that the best is devzira rice, as well as other Uzbek and Tajik varieties.

You can try cooking pilaf with other types of rice, but preferably not too starchy. And in any case, the rice must be rinsed well before adding (until the water becomes clear). This will wash away starch dust and prevent the pilaf from sticking together. Chefs also advise soaking it in cold water for an hour or more.

By the way, you can use wheat, chickpeas, corn and mung bean instead in pilaf. But this is a slightly different story.

Meat

Lamb is traditionally used for pilaf, but beef is also suitable. You can also use pork, although Muslim cooks are unlikely to forgive you for this. The option with chicken is also possible, but it has little in common with the classic Uzbek pilaf.

It is better to choose meat from adult animals: it gives the necessary rich taste.

The meat needs to be cut into fairly large pieces, approximately 5 × 5 cm or a little larger. You can fry the meat in large, non-portioned pieces and chop it just before serving. It is believed that the larger the piece, the juicier the finished meat will be.

Vegetables

There are two main vegetables in pilaf: onions and carrots. Onions can be used. It’s more difficult with carrots: in Central Asia, pilaf is often prepared with yellow carrots, but in its absence, regular orange ones will do.

The main rule is not to be shallow. The onion is cut into rings or half rings, the carrots into large cubes about 5 mm thick. If you finely chop vegetables and meat, you will no longer get pilaf, but rice porridge.

Oil

To prepare pilaf, either odorless vegetable oil, or animal lard (tail fat), or both types together are used. At home, the easiest way is to use refined sunflower oil.

There is no need to skimp: pilaf is a fatty dish. On average, 1 kg of rice requires about 200–250 ml of oil.

Spices

There is ample room for experimentation here. And yet we can distinguish more or less traditional seasonings:

garlic (slightly peeled and put in whole heads);
hot red pepper (put in whole pod);
cumin;
barberry;
ground black or red pepper.

You can also add thyme, coriander, suneli hops, saffron or other spices to your pilaf. The easiest way is to use a ready-made seasoning mixture.

Other Ingredients

In addition to the ingredients listed above, pre-soaked chickpeas and dried fruits are often added to pilaf.

Which dishes to choose

Cauldron, cauldron and cauldron again. With thick walls. In it, the meat does not stick, and the rice cooks evenly and remains crumbly. It is best to use a cast iron cauldron (especially if you are cooking pilaf over a fire), but an aluminum one will also work.

A duck pot can be a good replacement for a cauldron. But a saucepan, deep frying pan, wok and other kitchen utensils will not give the desired effect, no matter how much you might want it.

The basic principle of pilaf is this: first, zirvak is prepared (this is meat and vegetables fried in oil with spices and broth), and then rice is poured on top.

The standard proportion for pilaf is equal parts of rice, meat and carrots. The amount of onions may vary, but be at least 1-2 heads. It's the same with garlic.

Heat a cauldron and pour oil into it. It should warm up well so that later the ingredients can quickly brown.

Next, the onion or meat is fried. If you are preparing pilaf with a lot of onions, you can fry the meat first. Place it in the cauldron gradually so as not to reduce the temperature, and do not turn it over immediately - otherwise it may begin to release juice.

Fry the onion until golden brown so that the finished broth gives color to the rice.

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When the meat and onions are fried, add the carrots. It is fried for several minutes until softened.

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Then all the ingredients are poured with hot water. It should cover the meat by 1–2 cm. Garlic, red pepper, spices and other ingredients are added next. Salt everything to taste (or add a little more salt than you like: the rice will absorb it) and cook over moderate heat for at least 40 minutes until the meat is softened.

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After the zirvak is prepared, rice is added. It is better to do this with a slotted spoon to distribute the rice evenly. You can flavor it with a couple of pinches of cumin on top for flavor.

The rice is drowned in the broth (if necessary, add more hot water through a slotted spoon so that it slightly covers the dish) and simmer uncovered until the water is completely absorbed (about 20 minutes). Then the fire is turned off (if the pilaf is being cooked over a fire, then by this point the wood should just be smoldering), the cauldron is covered with a lid and the rice is left to steam for about 15–20 minutes.
After adding the rice, the cauldron is immediately closed with a lid and the contents are simmered for about half an hour on minimal heat, and then about another 10 minutes without fire.

When the heat is off, wrap the lid with a towel: it will absorb condensation and prevent it from getting into the dish.

Garlic and pepper are removed from the finished pilaf. If large pieces of meat were used for cooking, then take them out, cut them and place them on top of the mixed pilaf. If you used small pieces, you can mix the pilaf with them.

Pilaf is traditionally served on a large plate and topped with a head of garlic. This dish is best paired with fresh vegetables.

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Do you know other secrets of cooking pilaf? Share them in the comments.

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than cooking for yourself))

Content

Housewives often wonder, look for recipes on how to cook pilaf at home, experiment, practice so that it is tasty, crumbly, and takes little time to cook. In our age of diversity and availability of food products and household appliances, you can prepare pilaf from the cuisine of any nationality or invent your own signature recipe for this dish.

How to cook pilaf correctly

To prepare delicious pilaf, you need to choose the right type of rice, meat, and dishes. For example, Asian chefs claim that the best pilaf is the one made from lamb, with fat tail fat, over an open fire, in a cast iron cauldron, and should be cooked exclusively by a man. However, this does not mean that you cannot make delicious pilaf from other ingredients at home. Today there are many recipes that prove this.

What is needed for pilaf

Classic real pilaf is made from lamb. Brisket, ribs, shoulder, or back of lamb are often used. However, other types of meat can also be used as a meat component: pork, beef and even poultry, as is done in the East and Central Asia. This is a food with high nutritional value, so the type of meat directly affects the overall calorie content.

Uzbek pilaf, according to the classic recipe, is prepared with animal fat, for example, melted lamb fat, and rarely with unrefined vegetable oils. The strong smell and taste of vegetable oil can drown out the taste of other ingredients. Often a mixture of animal and vegetable fat is used for frying, which increases the digestibility of products.

The key to the recipe is the spices. This is a kind of creative process, the combination of spices and herbs completely determines the flavor. However, there is a basic set, which consists of barberry, hot pepper in a pod or ground. To make the dish aromatic, cumin, suneli hops, garlic, thyme, and coriander are often added. Saffron is sometimes added to these spices, which gives it a characteristic golden color.

In addition to meat and cereals, the composition includes vegetables and sometimes dried fruits. Traditionally, coarsely chopped carrots are added to the dish. In the Caucasus and India, this vegetable is not used at all. They also add onions and a whole head of garlic, previously peeled. The addition of dried fruits enhances the taste; in some recipes you can find dried apricots, prunes, raisins, and figs. They are added after frying meat and vegetables. Cereals should be mentioned separately.

How to cook crumbly pilaf

To make the pilaf tasty and crumbly, it is better to use long-grain varieties of cereal with a low starch content. Tajik and Uzbek varieties are ideal - alanga, oshpar, devzira, kenja. You can also use Arabic, Italian and Mexican rice to make paella. All these varieties are hard and practically do not lose their shape during prolonged heat treatment.

Other varieties are softer and may stick together when cooked. If you decide to use one of the soft varieties of rice cereal, then you need to remove as much starch from it as possible, this will make the pilaf crumbly. To do this, you need to rinse it, soak it in cold water, changing the water periodically. To diversify the taste, instead of rice you can use pearl barley, wheat, corn and even peas.

Utensils for preparing pilaf

It is impossible to make the right pilaf in the “wrong” container. Traditionally it is prepared in a cast iron pan or aluminum cauldron with a thick bottom. How to cook the right pilaf without the right utensils? In extreme cases, the cauldron can be replaced with a duckling or a pan with a thick bottom. Such dishes do not allow the grain to burn; it simmers slowly and cooks evenly, unlike enamel products, French fryers, and woks.

Pilaf recipes

The ideal pilaf recipe will depend on the taste preferences of each person or family in general. At first, you can safely experiment with types of meat, vegetables, dried fruits, spices, herbs, and cooking utensils. Cookbooks with detailed descriptions of recipes and photographs, as well as corresponding websites, which also often provide an extensive catalog of photos and cooking options, can help with this. Over time, through trial and error, you will find the best recipe in your opinion or create your own culinary masterpiece.

Uzbek pilaf

Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Number of servings: 10 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 210 kcal per 100 g.
Cuisine: Uzbek.

Pilaf is considered a traditional dish of Uzbek cuisine. To create Uzbek or Samarkand pilaf, lamb is used. Eastern people are famous for their hospitality, and table decoration is key. This dish is perfect for a feast. The composition includes a large amount of vegetable oil, so it has great nutritional value. You can decorate the dish with spices (barberry, garlic), then your pilaf will not differ from the photos on the Internet.

Ingredients:

rice – 1 kg;
lamb – 1 kg;
carrots – 1 kg;
sunflower oil – 300 ml;
onions – 4 pcs.;
dry hot pepper – 2 pcs.;
garlic – 2 pcs.;
dried barberry - 1 tbsp. l.;
zira – 1 tbsp. l.;
coriander (seeds) – 1 tsp;
salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Rinse the rice in several waters and wash the lamb thoroughly.
Peel the onions and carrots. Cut one onion into thin half rings, and carrots into finger-thick slices. Peel the garlic from the top husk without dividing it into cloves.
Heat the cauldron, then pour in the oil. When the oil is hot, place the peeled whole onion in the cauldron and fry it until it turns black, then take it out - you won’t need it anymore.
Then prepare the zirvak (base). To do this, fry the onion, then add meat to it, fry until a characteristic crust appears.
Add the carrots, fry without stirring for three minutes, then stir everything, cook for another 10 minutes.
Grind the cumin and coriander using your fingers or a mortar and pestle, add to the zirvak, then season with barberry, add salt to taste.
Reduce heat and cook until carrots are soft.
Pour in a 2 cm layer of boiling water, add hot pepper, reduce the heat and simmer the zirvak for an hour.
Drain the water from the cereal, place it in an even layer on the zirvak, then pour in boiling water through a slotted spoon so that it covers the rice.
After the water is absorbed, plant garlic heads in the rice and cook until the rice is completely cooked.
Turn off the stove, cover with a flat plate and a lid on top, let it sit for about 30 minutes.

Azerbaijani pilaf

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes + 2 hours.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 280 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Azerbaijani.
Difficulty of preparation: difficult.

The recipe and technology are significantly different from preparing Uzbek pilaf. Cereals for this dish are prepared separately from vegetables and spices, in a separate bowl. The base can be very diverse, for example, lamb, poultry, game, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits and even milk. Dried fruits, fruits, and fresh herbs are often added to the recipe: mint, thyme, tarragon.

Ingredients:

lamb – 700 g;
long grain rice – 700 g;
butter – 200 g;
dried apricots – 150 g;
raisins (seedless) – 100 g;
dried prunes – 100 g;
chestnuts – 100 g;
onions – 2 pcs.;
chicken egg – 1 pc.;
turmeric – 1 tsp;
salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Soak the rice in cool water, add a little salt, and leave for about 2 hours.
Cut the lamb into pieces weighing approximately 50 g. Boil in salted water, skim off the resulting foam during cooking.
Rinse the dried fruits under running water, then pour boiling water for about 10 minutes. Make a cross-shaped cut on each chestnut. Blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and remove the skin under running cool water. Place the peeled chestnuts in fresh water and cook for 7 minutes. over low heat.
Peel the onions and cut into strips.
Heat a frying pan and melt half of the available butter. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown. Drain the dried fruits, add them to the pan, then add the meat. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid evaporates quickly, add boiling water if necessary.
Drain the water from the container with rice, boil in fresh, lightly salted water, do not overcook. Drain in a colander.
In a separate container, mix 5 tbsp. l. boiled long rice with a chicken egg, add a little turmeric.
Melt the butter (leave a small piece of about 5 g), salt and turmeric in a separate bowl using a microwave or water bath.
Grease a cauldron or thick-bottomed pan with the remaining butter and place the egg-rice mixture on the bottom. Then lay out a layer of rice cereal, soak each layer with melted butter and spices.
Create a small press using a plate, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat.

Tajik

Cooking time: 2 hours.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 230 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Tajik.

The difference between Tajik pilaf lies in its special variety - devzira. This is one of the simple recipes for preparing a spicy dish. Of the spices, only cumin (cumin) is used. Pilav of Tajik cuisine is traditionally prepared from lamb, mainly from the loin of lamb. This simple but very satisfying dish will provide a good boost of energy throughout the day.

Ingredients:

devzira rice – 600 g;
lamb (fillet) – 600 g;
carrots – 600 g;
onions – 2 pcs.;
garlic – 2 pcs.;
zira – 1 tsp;
vegetable oil, salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Peel the vegetables, cut the onion into rings, carrots into large strips.
Soak the cereal in cold water for half an hour. Wash the lamb and cut into arbitrary pieces.
Crack the cooking container, pour in the vegetable oil and fry the onion, then add the meat to the onion. When the meat is golden on all sides, add the carrots and fry until done.
Pour half a liter of boiled water into the roast, season well with salt, stick in the garlic and bring to a boil.
Remove the garlic and pour in the pre-strained rice. Spread evenly and make sure the liquid lightly covers it. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
After 10-15 minutes, stick the garlic in again and season with cumin. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for another 20 minutes. over low heat.

From lamb

Cooking time: 2 hours.
Number of servings: 20 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 145 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Caucasian.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Simple lamb pilaf without the addition of specific spices, vegetables and dried fruits is quick to prepare, without losing its taste and high nutritional value. Lamb is a fatty meat, so when preparing a dish you need to control the amount of other sources of fat, otherwise one serving can exceed the daily requirement of this nutrient for the average person.

Ingredients:

stewed lamb – 1 kg;
rice – 400 g;
water – 2 l;
carrots – 3 pcs.;
garlic – 2 pcs.;
onions – 3 pcs.;
sunflower oil – 100 ml;
ground red pepper, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Heat a cauldron, pour in sunflower oil, fry the lamb over high heat.
Peel the vegetables, cut the onion into half rings, carrots into strips or cubes.
Add the onion to the meat, fry for 10 minutes, then add the carrots and simmer for 25 minutes. over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Salt the contents of the cauldron, add ground red pepper and push the peeled heads of garlic into the center.
Rinse the grain and distribute evenly on top of the roast.
Fill the dish with hot water until the level is about 1 cm above the grounds.
Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Chicken

Number of servings: 12 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 165 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

In the wake of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, chicken fillet has become one of the most popular dietary products. You can reduce the calorie content and even out the balance of BZHU with the help of the “correct” cereal and chicken meat. An easy chicken pilaf recipe will provide you and your family with a healthy and nutritious dish that can be safely eaten for both lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:

chicken (fillet) – 700 g;
steamed rice – 450 g;
carrots – 200 g;
sunflower oil – 150 ml;
water – 1 l;
onion – 1 pc.;
garlic – 2 pcs.;
ground red pepper, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Crack the cauldron, pour in all the sunflower oil and heat well.
Throw the chicken pieces into the cauldron in portions, fry evenly on all sides, then remove the cooked pieces and add the raw ones.
Fry the onion in the meat oil, then add carrots and chicken to it, fry over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Fill the mixture with hot water so that the level is about 1 cm higher than the grounds, add peeled garlic cloves and ground pepper, boil for 10 minutes.
Add a spoonful of salt and add the washed cereal.
Pour boiling water over the entire mixture and mix thoroughly, cover the cauldron with a lid and cook until the cereal is ready (about half an hour).

How to cook fruit pilaf

Number of servings: 4 persons.
Purpose: for breakfast, for lunch.
Cuisine: Tatar.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

The recipe for fruit pilaf comes from Tatar cuisine. In the classic version, in addition to dried fruits, white sugar (sweet spices) and wheat flour are added, but the taste of the dish will not lose at all without these components. Sweet fruit pilaf is suitable for children who do not really like cereals as a healthy dessert. Adults are not recommended to eat this dish for dinner - sweet foods are best consumed in the first half of the day. The dish is prepared in a slow cooker or a saucepan with a thick bottom.

Ingredients:

rice – 200 g;
water – 200 ml;
raisins – 100 g;
prunes – 70 g;
dried apricots – 70 g;
figs – 70 g;
carrots – 1 pc.;
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
turmeric – 0.5 tsp.

Cooking method:

Peel the vegetable. Cut the carrots into cubes or any other convenient way.
Pour vegetable oil into the bottom of the bowl, add chopped carrots and raisins.
Chop prunes, dried apricots and figs, place on top of raisins and sprinkle with turmeric.
Fill with water with a small amount of dissolved salt.
Turn on the multicooker in the “Pilaf” mode for 30-60 minutes. The speed of cooking the dish will depend on the type of cereal.

From pork

Cooking time: 1.5-2 hours.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 205 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Uzbek.
Difficulty of preparation: medium.

Pork is often used in Uzbek cuisine. This is a type of fatty meat, so the nutritional value of a dish with the addition of pork is higher than other varieties. The recipe includes a standard set of vegetables and spices, but their combination with pork gives a completely different taste to the dish. It is better to eat pilaf with pork at lunchtime, and for dinner, limit yourself to a light salad.

Ingredients:

rice – 200 g;
pork – 200 g;
onion – 200 g;
carrots – 200 g;
vegetable oil – 40 ml;
garlic – 1 clove;
salt, ground black pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

Pour vegetable oil into a cooking container and chop well.
Cut the meat into portions and fry evenly on all sides until cooked.
Cut the onion into half rings and place on top of the meat.
You can cut the carrots in any convenient way or grate them on a coarse grater.
Add carrots to the roast and simmer until done.
Pour in the washed grain, fill the mixture with warm water. The level is two fingers above the thicket.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
In 10-15 minutes. Before the rice is ready, stick in a clove of garlic for flavor.
When the water has evaporated, turn off the pilaf, cover the pan with a lid and let the dish cook.

How to cook pilaf without meat

Cooking time: 30-60 minutes.
Number of servings: 10 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 63 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Many people wonder how you can cook pilaf without meat? Such recipes can be classified as vegetarian dishes; they are prepared during the period of fasting and by people who adhere to a low-calorie diet. Low-fat pilaf can be given to children. Vegetables that are not typical for pilaf are added to the rice grain, for example, tomatoes, sweet peppers, etc., so the prefix “without meat” hides simple rice with vegetables. The time it takes to prepare the pilaf depends on the utensils and the type of rice.

Ingredients:

rice – 400 g;
carrots – 1 pc.;
onion – 1 pc.;
garlic – 3 cloves;
vegetable oil – 20 ml;
water – 2 l;
salt, pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

Peel the vegetables, finely chop the onion, chop or grate the carrots.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and sauté the vegetables.
When the vegetables have significantly reduced in volume, add the cereal and lightly fry.
Fill the mixture with water, add salt, garlic, and a mixture of peppers to taste.
Simmer covered until the cereal is ready.

How to cook pilaf with long grain rice

Cooking time: 60 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 150 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

During cooking, the cereal should not lose its shape. There are special varieties for this, for example, long-grain parboiled rice. The grain is distinguished by its oblong shape and transparency. You can cook pilaf with poultry, pork or lamb. This variety goes well with a variety of vegetables and spices. Long grain rice does not require any special preparatory processes.

Ingredients:

long grain rice – 200 g;
chicken (fillet) – 200 g;
water (broth) – 1 l;
vegetable oil – 40 ml;
carrots – 1 pc.;
onion – 1 pc.;
garlic – 1 clove;
spices for pilaf, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Peel the vegetables, rinse the cereal, and drain in a colander.
Heat a cauldron and pour vegetable oil into it.
Next, you need to cut the vegetables and chicken into portions.
First fry the meat, remove it, then sauté the vegetables.

Uzbek pilaf. Cook at home.

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How to cook pilaf at home: recipes

What chefs don’t do with pilaf! It is prepared sweet, with pumpkin, with dried fruits, in pita bread... The list is endless. We are going to go even further and invite you to cook pilaf without rice. Don't be alarmed - it's quite possible. And many national cuisines have been doing this for a long time. Pilaf can be made using pearl barley, buckwheat and even pasta. The main thing is to follow the technology: prepare zirvak from onions, carrots and meat, put cereal on it, add cumin and other spices. The result is a delicious pilaf, albeit an unusual one.

AiF.ru presents 4 recipes for pilaf, in which you will not find a single grain of rice.

Pilaf with barley in ghee

Photo: Shutterstock.com

500 g lamb

1.5 cups pearl barley

3 onions

2 carrots

1 liter broth

Salt, pepper, cumin, barberry

2 heads of garlic

Step 1. Soak the pearl barley overnight. Before cooking, place the cereal in a sieve and let it drain.

Step 2. Cut the onion into half rings. Carrots - thin strips. Dissolve the butter in a cauldron.

Step 3. Fry the onion in oil until crunchy, then the carrots.

Step 4. Cut the meat into large pieces and add to the vegetables. Place garlic, cumin, and pepper in the zirvak.

Step 5. Add 1/3 of the broth and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Step 6. Fry the cereal in a spoon of butter. Add salt and add to zirvak. Pour in the broth.

Step 7. Simmer the pilaf for about an hour until the cereal is cooked.

Pilaf with buckwheat

Recipe by Hakim Ganiev from the book “Encyclopedia of Uzbek Cuisine”

Pilaf with buckwheat Photo: Press service of the Publishing House "Eksmo"

1 kg beef

800 g buckwheat

800 g carrots

250 g vegetable oil

50 g butter

Step 1. Cut the meat into 2x2 cm cubes, the onion into half rings, and the carrots into 1x1 cm cubes.

Step 2. Pour oil into a cauldron, heat until smoking, add onion and fry until transparent.

Step 3. Then add the meat and fry until golden brown, then add the carrots, lightly fry them and pour cold water.

Step 4. Bring the contents of the cauldron to a boil and cook over low heat until the meat is completely cooked.

Step 5. Meanwhile, put a large diameter frying pan on the fire so that all the buckwheat can fit. First, melt the butter in it, immediately add the buckwheat, washed with cold water and dried, and fry until a good brown color and a bright aroma appear.

Step 6. Pour buckwheat into a cauldron; if necessary, add hot water 2 cm above the level of the buckwheat, add salt, cumin and cook, evaporating the water, over high heat.

Step 7. When the buckwheat is cooked and the water has evaporated, cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat.

Step 8. Mix the finished pilaf and place on a dish. Serve with a salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, dressed with sour cream and herbs.

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Cypriot pilaf with bulgur

Photo: Shutterstock.com

1 cup bulgur grain

½ cup vermicelli

400 g pork

2 cups meat broth

2 onions

2 heads of garlic

Salt, oregano, cinnamon

Vegetable oil for frying

Step 1. Finely chop the onion, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion in it. Add coarsely chopped meat.

Step 2. Then throw in the vermicelli. Fry over medium heat, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.

Step 3. Add broth, bring to a boil, add bulgur.

Step 4. Add spices and salt to the pilaf. When everything is ready, garnish with fresh herbs and olives

Pilaf with vermicelli and vegetables

500 g chicken thigh fillet

2 cups small pasta

2 carrots

3 eggplants

2 green peppers

2 onions

2 large tomatoes

1 head of garlic

A piece of lemon zest

Thyme, parsley, cumin, salt

Vegetable oil

Step 1. Cut the eggplants into strips, add salted water and leave for half an hour.

Step 2. Cut the onion into half rings, peppers and carrots into strips. Meat - medium cube.

Step 3. Heat vegetable oil, fry the onion in it, add carrots and peppers, pour in ½ cup of broth or water. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Step 4. Add eggplant to vegetables. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add spices and salt.

Step 5. Add chicken, fry for another 7 minutes.

Step 6. Pour in the pasta, add water and simmer until done. Turn off the heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes.

Pilaf is aromatic not only with meat and chicken, but also with mushrooms. Therefore, you can prepare this dish during Lent without being afraid to make changes to the traditional recipe for classic pilaf.

Ingredients
To prepare lean pilaf we will need any mushrooms. The most delicious pilaf, of course, is made with wild mushrooms, but in the absence of them, champignons will also do. You can use mushrooms in combination. Otherwise, everything is as usual - rice, onions, carrots, garlic, spices to taste, for example, coriander and allspice, and, of course, garlic, which turns almost any dish into magic.

We would like to point out that pilaf will be successful if you choose the right rice. Long grain Basmati and Indica are best for this dish. They don't stick together or get boiled, so you don't have to worry about your pilaf turning into mush.

Recipe for cooking lean pilaf with mushrooms

First of all, the mushrooms need to be thoroughly washed and chopped. It is important to rinse the rice very well so that it does not stick together during cooking. For faster cooking, let the rice stand in water for about 15 minutes. Vegetables need to be washed and cut - onions into cubes or half rings, carrots cut into strips or grated on a coarse grater. Heat vegetable oil in a cauldron or frying pan (deep) and fry mushrooms in it. Wait a little until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to fry - then they need to be salted and stirred. Add carrots and onions to the mushrooms. Send the rice there, add spices, squeeze out the garlic and add water. The water should cover the top of the rice by one to two fingers.

Lenten pilaf is cooked over low heat for about 20 minutes. After waiting this time and making sure that the pilaf is ready, all that remains is to mix the finished dish, sprinkle it with herbs on top, and then serve.

It is very easy to prepare pilaf in a slow cooker. Owners of this kitchen appliance have long appreciated the ease of preparing a wide variety of dishes, pilaf being one of them.

Lenten pilaf with mushrooms is a suitable dish not only for everyday, but also for holidays. Not all people eat meat. For many, it is contraindicated for health reasons. And who said that all holiday dishes should consist entirely of meat?.. Since meat is a rather heavy product, the recipe for pilaf with mushrooms is what you need to enjoy the taste without overloading your stomach.

The majority of pilaf lovers think that lean pilaf without meat is like rice porridge with fried onions and carrots. Having taken a closer look at most pilaf recipes, it is quite possible to make it without meat, a dish that will not be inferior in taste and benefits to the classic “meat” pilaf.

And at some points it will even surpass it. This excellent food will bring the necessary variety to the menu of that group of people who follow some kind of diet and are simply tired of eating the same dishes. Lean pilaf without the use of meat is quite suitable for both adults and children, since there is simply no excess animal fat in it.

After a hard, hot day, when you need to restore your strength with a hearty but light dinner, meat-free pilaf will be an excellent alternative to heavier food. Properly prepared, this dish can be served on a holiday table as a separate dish or as a side dish for some hot dishes.

To ensure that the rice does not stick together, you need to follow some tricks and fully adhere to the cooking technology. There is nothing complicated if you want to cook a flavorful pilaf that is beneficial to the body and does not contain meat. You only need to pay attention when reading the article below, in which all the secrets of preparing delicious lean rice pilaf without meat will be revealed. After that, all that remains is to take and cook this amazing pilaf.

General principles for preparing lean pilaf:

The main ingredients (rice, vegetables, meat or meat substitute) are added in equal proportions.
The bookmark sequence is calculated based on the cooking time of each ingredient.
The use of pure water is reduced to a minimum.
Rice is cooked on top of other foods; it should not touch the bottom and walls of the dish.

Lenten pilaf with mushrooms - step-by-step recipe with photos

There are periodic restrictions related to religious traditions. For example, during Christian fasting, believers abstain from eating animal products. However, this is not a reason to give up your favorite dish; it is enough to make some adjustments to the recipe.

We offer you traditional pilaf, only the meat in it is replaced with mushrooms. It fits perfectly into the Lenten menu of a believer. Write down the simplest recipe for lean pilaf with mushrooms without meat, you will definitely need it.

Products used:

hard rice 0.5 kg
onions 0.5 kg
carrots 0.5 kg
large mushrooms (in our case, champignons) 0.5 kg
garlic – 2 heads
Refined sunflower oil – 250 ml
seasonings: barberry, cumin (cumin), cloves, black pepper (corns and ground), allspice, ground red pepper, raisins (optional).

Lenten pilaf with mushrooms - step-by-step recipe with photos:

After you have prepared the vegetables (peeled the onions and carrots), you need to thoroughly rinse the rice and fill it with hot water. If the rice is hard, boiling water is used and the container is covered with a lid. If the rice is steamed, fill it with water at 70C - 80C and leave the bowl open. When pouring, the rice must be stirred, otherwise it will form lumps.

The recipe is designed for a 3-liter cauldron.

Cut the onion into half rings. You should not chop it too much - after cooking, the onion practically dissolves in the total volume, too thin strips will look like threads.

Place the cauldron on high heat, pour in 250 ml of oil, and wait until it gets hot until it crackles. Pour out all the prepared onions. Stir occasionally during frying. Don't be intimidated by the large volume, it decreases as it's ready.

While the onions are cooking, let's start with the vegetables. Mushrooms for pilaf are cut into large cubes. Thin pieces will simply burn, so cutting into slices will not work.

Carrots can be cut into cubes, half rings or large strips. Since this recipe is meatless - oblong pieces are better - this creates a portioning effect.

We continue to monitor the onions. It should acquire a uniform golden hue; slight burning of small pieces is allowed - this is not scary.

Add the mushrooms and immediately stir vigorously. We don’t turn down the fire.

Fry the mushrooms until golden brown. We control the presence of oil at the bottom of the cauldron. If the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid, you can add one or two tablespoons of oil. Add seasonings, all at once. At this stage we do not add salt!

Stir and let the flavors soak in for just a couple of minutes.

Add carrots and reduce heat slightly.

When the carrots have softened a little, you can add salt. Pour boiling water over the mixture until the ingredients are slightly covered with liquid.

It is important not to overdo it with the amount of water, otherwise the flavors will simply dissolve.

Cover the cauldron with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stirring is not necessary. Then taste the broth for salt. The peculiarity of pilaf is that rice desalinates the dish, so the liquid should be slightly salted.

Drain the water from the prepared rice and carefully place it on top of the mass of vegetables. The broth should appear on top; the rice will cook in it.

Cover the cauldron with a lid and cook the rice over low heat. This usually takes no more than 10 minutes. Periodically open the lid and gently stir the rice, maintaining an even layer. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic. We disassemble one head into cloves and clean it, leave the second one whole, just cut off the roots with the remaining soil.

We check the rice - it should become dry and crumbly, all the water is absorbed into the grains.

We collect the rice in a mound and place an unpeeled head of garlic in the center.

Using a long knife, distribute the rest of the garlic into the rice mass.

Cover the cauldron with a lid and line it with a towel made of natural fabric (linen, cotton). Firstly, a pressure cooker effect is formed, and secondly, excess moisture is absorbed by the towel.

Leave on low heat for 15 minutes. After this, thoroughly mix the lean pilaf with mushrooms, cover with a lid, remove from heat, wrap the cauldron in a towel and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
The dish is ready.

Features of selecting mushrooms for preparing lean pilaf:
The easiest way to prepare lean pilaf with mushrooms is from fresh champignons. But this variety does not have a characteristic aroma. You can replace them with oyster mushrooms.
The most delicious pilaf is made from wild mushrooms, such as white mushrooms. Since fresh product is only available in season, you can use frozen or dried (then soaked) mushrooms. Before laying, squeeze out excess moisture with a paper towel.

Recipe for lean pilaf with vegetables

This pilaf is prepared according to a classic recipe. But it will be considered pilaf “with a stretch”, since there is still no meat in it. But for those who fast and constantly wonder what to cook, this is the ideal way out of the situation. Various pickles go very well with lean pilaf. Those who do not observe Lent will receive an excellent side dish for meat - delicious lean pilaf with vegetables. Moreover, preparing a rice dish is quick and easy.

The recipe provides for an increased amount of vegetables. It is also necessary to exclude those spices that are used in cooking pilaf with meat, otherwise they will interrupt the flavor component of the vegetables. The only thing that always remains the same is the dishes. Lenten pilaf without meat with vegetables should be made in a cauldron.

Recipe:

eggplants - 30 g;
water - 375 ml;
zucchini - 30 g;
white cabbage - 100 g;
celery (root) - 300 g;
bay leaf - 1 leaf;
green onion - 15 g;
onion - 65 g;
carrots - 75 g;
bell pepper - 50 g;
black pepper - 5 peas;
parsley (greenfinch) - 15 g;
fresh tomatoes - 50 g;
Short grain rice - 360 g;
salt - 8 g;
fresh garlic - 20 g;
celery stalk - 1 pc.

How to cook lean pilaf with vegetables and rice:

Wash and process vegetables, except tomatoes, garlic and greens. Cut the carrots into strips, shred the cabbage. Cut the celery stalk and root together with the onion into small cubes. Cut eggplants, zucchini and sweet peppers into larger than medium cubes. Cook vegetables in vegetable oil in a saucepan for about 24 minutes. The contents must be stirred while cooking over moderate heat. Transfer all the overcooking with the remaining oil into a clay pot.

Add thoroughly washed rice to the fried vegetables. Stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in boiling water. Add some salt. Add peppercorns and bay leaves. Cover with a lid. Continue cooking on the lowest heat for about a quarter of an hour.

At the same time, prepare the remaining products. Cut half a tomato into small cubes. Chop the greens. Coarsely chop two cloves of garlic. Leave three cloves whole.

When the pilaf is ready, add garlic, tomatoes and herbs. Mix the contents. Let it brew under the lid for 5-7 minutes. After this, you can serve delicious lean pilaf on the table, sprinkled with green onions.

Lenten pilaf with dried fruits - tasty and fast

The use of dried fruits in pilaf adds a unique sweet motif to the dish, combining perfectly with the other ingredients. After the first spoon is eaten, no one will remember that there could have been meat in this pilaf.

Recipe

long grain rice - 240 g;
onions - 130 g;
carrots - 75 g;
garlic - 40 g;
prunes - 100 g;
raisins - 100 g;
dried apricots - 100 g;
cumin - 10 g (or cumin - 3 g);
turmeric - 5 g;
hot chili pepper - 5 g;
vegetable oil - 100 ml;
salt - to taste.

Lenten pilaf with dried fruits and vegetables without meat - step-by-step recipe with photos:

To make this dish you need to purchase long grain rice. The main thing is that it is steamed. After cooking, this rice will be crumbly and will not turn into sticky lumps.

To prepare lean pilaf, rice must be rinsed in cold water at least once. Leave in a colander to drain.

At the same time, prepare the dried fruits that are supposed to be used. Dried fruits need to be washed well. Then cut into small pieces. You just need to rinse the raisins - no need to cut them. But if the dried fruits are very dry and hard, it is recommended to steam them with hot water for a period of half an hour to an hour. During this time they will become soft and increase in size. If this is not done, then as a result, the rice pilaf will not contain appetizing, aromatic particles of fruit, but dry, sweet pieces that still need to be chewed.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Its quantity should be such that the chopped onions are in it, almost as if they were deep-fried. The onion should be thoroughly fried on all sides. The onion must be stirred so as not to burn. When the onion half rings begin to acquire a golden color and the characteristic sweet smell of fried onions appears, you need to add steamed dried fruits to it. The water must first be drained from them. Fry everything together for 3-5 minutes.

Then add the processed, washed and cut carrots into the pan. Continue cooking until the carrots begin to soften. Grind spices (cumin and cumin) in a mortar to enhance the unique aroma and oriental note.

Remove the husks from the garlic, but do not remove it from the middle stalk. Process the chili pepper (remove seeds and membranes) and chop into thin rings (about 5-6 pieces).

Pour salt, turmeric, chili, cumin, ground with cumin into a frying pan with the fruit and vegetable mixture. Stick a head of garlic into the middle. Add 105 ml of filtered warm water. Close the lid. Simmer for a quarter of an hour on low heat. During this time, all the notes and aromas of spices and herbs will be revealed. Dried fruits and garlic will reach their maximum degree of softness, fully imparting their flavor to the dish.

Now it’s time to lay the cereal. It must be placed over the entire surface of the fruit and vegetable mixture. Pour in warm water so that it covers the rice by a centimeter (if cooking the dish in a wide frying pan), or by two centimeters (if using a cauldron). If during the process it turns out that all the water has evaporated and the dish is still damp, you can add it.

Cook lean pilaf with dried fruits for another 20 minutes, covered with a lid over moderate heat. Then turn off the flame. Leave the dish with pilaf to sit and absorb the remaining liquid (if any).

Stir the finished dish immediately before serving - after placing the rice in the pan, you cannot stir it.