Pilau Recipe

Pilau Recipe

From: Kenya

By: Mercy Wabomba

This savory rice and meat dish, shared by Mercy from Kenya, is especially served for festive occasions in East Africa. You may be familiar with the US version of this dish, rice pilaf, but this Swahili-style dish holds a special place in the hearts of Kenyans. In Mercy's case, she first tried it on her birthday and it made a lasting impression. 

Make sure you take her advice and acquire some good quality rice so that your dish doesn't get soggy! Boiling the meat creates a delicious broth that gives the rice an incredibly rich flavor. 

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  • Prep Time

    Less than 30 min

  • Cook Time

    Less than 1 hour

  • Serves

    8

  • Meal Type

    Main Dish

  • Dietary Stuff

    Contains Meat

  • Difficulty

    Easy - Common Ingredients & Basic Skills

1 6

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How to Prepare Pilau

Ingredients:

2 lb of good quality rice
1 1/2 lb of meat (preferably beef or goat meat)
6 large onions
½ cup of cooking oil
1 tablespoon of good quality Pilau Masala
1 teaspoon of garlic paste
1 teaspoon of ginger paste
Salt to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
2.5 quarts of water (for cooking)

Instructions:

PREPARATION: Chop meat into medium-sized cubes or pieces. Wash.
Peel, wash and slice your onions in thin rings.
Soak your rice for about 15 minutes. Rinse and set aside.
COOKING: Boil meat in ½ liter of water for 20 minutes on high heat. Cook until meat is soft enough to be eaten. It may take longer than 20 minutes if heat is low or medium.
Heat oil in a sufuria (cooking pan/pot). Add chopped onions and saute until golden brown.
Add the boiled meat without the broth (in case there was some left in the meat while boiling).
Add garlic and ginger paste as you continue stirring. Mix for about 2 minutes.
Add the pilau masala and mix for about 2 minutes.
Add 2 liters of water and cover until it boils.
Once mixture boils, add soaked rice. Stir until the ingredients are mixed evenly. Cover until water reduces. Keep reducing heat so it dries up well without burning.
Once water has dried up, your pilau is ready. Serve hot with juice, a soft drink, stew, or salad. It can also be eaten on its own.

How to Serve Pilau

Once the water is dried up completely, your pilau is ready! It can be served hot with juice, a soft drink, stew, salad, or can even be eaten without an accompaniment.

Tips for Making this Pilau Recipe

Don't overcook the meat. If it becomes too soft, it may fall apart into the rice. Let it remain relatively hard, but still edible. The pieces should come out in the rice the same way they were when you started cooking.

I find the meal more delicious when it is left a bit wet rather than completely dry. You can try it and then choose which one you prefer.

Be careful with the onions; you may want to add the other ingredients before they turn completely brown, as burning them will not bring out the delicious taste in the meal.
Reducing heat when using charcoal may be challenging, but please try removing a few pieces of charcoal so the rice won't burn.

Avoid tomatoes; I tried to add them one time and was disappointed!

Remember to cook on relatively high heat until the water starts reducing, then you can start reducing the heat too.

Finally, remember to drink water while you eat so you don't dehydrate. And, don't give up if your first attempt fails; I became perfect on my third trial. Enjoy!

What is the Difference Between Jollof Rice and Pilau?

There are several differences between jollof rice and pilau.

One of the main differences between jollof rice and pilau is the type of rice that is used. Another difference is the way the rice is cooked.

In terms of flavor, jollof rice tends to be more savory and slightly spicy due to the use of tomato sauce and various seasonings, while pilau tends to have a more delicate, aromatic flavor due to the use of whole spices.

Finally, jollof rice is often served as a main dish, while pilau is more commonly served as a side dish.

Why Do You Need to Soak the Rice Beforehand?

Soaking rice before cooking it can help to reduce cooking time and improve the texture of the finished dish.

Soaking rice helps the grains be more tender and less mushy when cooked. The grains are less likely to stick together when soaked and the process can also remove excess starch from the grains.

This is particularly important when making pilau, as the rice is typically cooked with a small amount of liquid and needs to remain separate and fluffy.

How Do You Make Pilau Masala at Home?

You can make your own pilau masala at home by mixing together the following spices:

2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
To make the pilau masala:

In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, and cloves over medium heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and grind until finely ground.

Break the cinnamon stick into small pieces and add it to the ground spices, along with the fennel seeds and turmeric. Grind or pound the mixture until it is well combined.

Store the pilau masala in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use. The masala will keep for several months.

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