Tonight's Side Dish: Rice Pilaff with Green Peas (adapted)

I adapted this from a book called Turkish Cookery by Inci Kuti. I bought it at Phoenix Books in Lambertville, NJ, one of my favorite used book stores.

The original recipe calls for cooking peas separately and then adding them to the rice after it is cooked. I used frozen peas and added them to the rice about 5 minutes before the rice was done. Worked well.

The butter gives this such a great flavor.

Bezelyeli Pirinc Pilavi (Pilaff Rice with Green Peas)

2 cups water

1 cup rice (I used brown basmati rice)

1 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp butter, or more to taste

Salt and pepper

Pick over the rice, place in a bowl and cover with some hot water. Stir in 2 tbsp salt and leave to soak until the water cools. Place rice in a sieve and wash thoroughly under a running tap.

Melt butter in a saucepan, add water and washed rice and salt and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Lower heat slightly and cook until the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. About 5 minutes before it is done, add peas and cover. Add butter and then fluff with a fork.

Serve with kebabs.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Source: Turkish Cookery by Inci Kut (adapted from)

Posted by RisaG 7/30/12