Christmas Pilau
Bonyeza hapa kusoma mapishi haya kwa KiswahiliBy Miriam
This pilau is sweet and has a nice mix of different flavors, from cashew nuts, raisins and saffron. Christmas should be time we eat sweet stuff, and this pilau is meant for just that. You must use saffron to get the taste right, but if you do not have saffron you can replace it with Turmeric to get the yellow color.
Serves about 6 to 8 people
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Cardamon
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Cloves
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup Onions (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp Crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp crushed ginger
- 2 tbsp Pilau masala
- 1 cup Cashew nuts
- 1 cup Sultanas/raisins.
- ½ tsp Saffron (can be replaced with ¼ tsp turmeric)
- 2 to 3 cups Boiling plain chicken broth or (chicken flavor cube mix in 2 cups of water)
- 1/2 cup Coconut milk (canned or the first discharge of fresh prepared coconut milk)
- ½ tsp Salt, only if you are not using salted chicken broth/chicken flavor cube.
- 1 tbsp Crushed Cilantro/Coriander leaves/dhania
- Heat oil on medium heat. Then, add rice and onions. Stir until the translucent color of rice starts to turn white.
- Add garlic, ginger and pilau masala. Keep stirring until the garlic is cooked. Then add saffron. Stir for a minute.
- In a separate bowl, mix boiling coconut milk with ½ cup of hot chicken broth.
- Add the coconut mixture to the rice.
- Cover the pot and turn heat to medium-low settings. When the liquid almost dry, add cashew nuts, mix well and add ½ cup of chicken broth. Taste to see if you need to add salt.
- When the pilau is almost cooked, add raisins/sultanas and cilantro/coriander leaves, mix well, cover or put in 300F oven to dry.
- Serve hot.