Turkish rice or pilaf is soft and full of flavors. It has nutritious value due to nuts. It has butter, many fresh vegetables, and endless spices. These Turkish Pilaf are eaten either as a dish or as a side with steaks, roasted meat.
Which Rice is used in Turkish Pilaf?
Mostly Turkish Pilaf is prepared with Baldo rice. Another famous qualitative rice is Italian arborio rice. But if you can’t find these, go for locally available basmati rice having long grains.
It’s always better to buy rice in small quantities for test cooking. If you like the size of grain after cooking and it’s taste, go for getting in more quantity.
Important Tips to Make Turkish Rice
- Always dip the rice in lukewarm water for half an hour before cooking. In this way, extra starch of rice will be removed.
- When boiling rice, add a pinch of salt to give it the best taste.
- If your rice sticks with each other during cooking, avoid that unpleasant look by adding half a teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Always cook rice on low flame with a lid covering its top. In this way, rice gets the best flavor and texture.
What is Pilaf?
Pilaf or pilav is a renowned Turkish rice dish in the culinary world. In the Urdu language, it’s called ‘’Pulao’’. These are white rice. The basic ingredients are spices and broth. It’s cooked on low flame. Variations are made by adding different flavors. The finally cooked Turkish rice is tender, melting in the mouth, and bursts into delicious flavors.
Different Types of Turkish Rice
Etli pilaf
Etli Pilaf is a delicious Turkish cuisine. It has a mixture of vegetables and meat. Meat can be beef or lamb. It has mild spices but depends upon taste buds. You can make it according to your spice level. It’s cooked in olive oil. Butter is used to give it a soft texture. The main spices are salt and black pepper.
Etli Pilaf is cooked on low heat. Once done, it’s presented in a unique way. A big platter having depth is used. A small bowl of rice is layered and meat chunks are added. Again a layer of rice and finally topping is done with remaining meat. The bowl is pressed with a spoon. And after resting it for 2-3 mins, it’s placed upside down on the platter.
Hot, smoking rice is served with onions, sautéed vegetables. Spices are sprinkled on top. It’s best to serve with fresh plain yogurt.
Nohutlu Turkish Rice
Nohutlu Pilaf is a famous street food in Turkey. It’s equally popular among children and adults. Throughout Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya to the rest of Turkey, Nohutlu Pilav is easily available. One can grab them from street vendors.
The key ingredient is Chickpeas. This Nohutlu Pilaf is commonly known as ‘’Channa Pulao’’ in Pakistan. The perfect combo of white rice with chickpeas and mixing of butte in olive oil is lethal.
It’s prepared in different ways. You can add vegetable stock to add veggie flavor. It’s served along with pickles and Kebabs. For drinks Aryan is the best choice with Nohutlu pilav.
Turkish İç Pilaf
İç Pilaf is rice full of nuts. The strong ingredients such as cinnamon make it unique from the rest types of Pilaf. Pine nuts, sweet currants are added to enhance flavors. Tomatoes, onions are part of it to give a saucy effect. Lastly, allspice, salt, and pepper are added.
When the veggies are tender, all ingredients are well mixed and rice is cooked, Ic pilaf is stirred once again.
İç Pilaf is fully topped and mixed with nuts. These nuts can be of your choice. Mostly roasted nuts are used. These rice are used for stuffing as well. It all depends upon your serving skills!
Drape Turkish Rice
Drape Pilaf is a fancy, Turkish festival dish. It’s mostly served at weddings. Basically, it’s a dough filled with rice full of chicken and roasted nuts. Other ingredients are butter, almonds, salt, and pepper. Oregano is sprinkled to add a new taste.
The dough is prepared with flour, eggs, yogurt and butter.
This drape Pilaf is a symbolic representation of a home. That’s why it’s called wedding Pilav. Rice shows hope of happiness and while sweet currants represent newborn babies. How amazing!
Turkish Orzo Pilaf
Orzo is a small pasta shaped or we can say a large grain of rice. These are easily available everywhere. This ingredient is very common in Turk’s home. Orzo is cooked to get it in perfect brown color. Then, toasted with plenty of butter. The soft orzo when mixed with white rice and added nuts makes its taste divine.
It’s either eaten separately or served as a side dish with roasted chicken/lamb or steak. The choice is yours. Whatever way you like to enjoy your Pilaf!
Serving of Turkish Rice
These rice are mostly served in the form of a dome. To achieve this shape, all you need to do is take a small bowl, fill it with rice. Then press it for a while. The last step is to pour it into the serving platter. Now, garnish it with mint. Your Turkish Pilaf is ready!
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