Mom doesn’t follow recipes. After 50 years of cooking for her family, she doesn’t need to. She cooks instinctively, pulling ingredients from what we have on hand, making substitutions or additions as she sees fit. Taste testing here and there for a little more of this or that. To get a recipe out of her I have to watch her make something, take copious notes, and ask a lot of questions. For each seemingly innocuous question, there can be a dissertation’s worth of answers. “Well, Adele Davis did it this one way, Diane Kennedy did it this other way, and I do it this way because (fill in the blank… my pot is too big, I’m using an electric range, we don’t have any fresh cilantro.. etc., etc.)” My mother is never one to give someone the time when a thorough explanation of how the watch works and how they made clocks in China 2000 years ago will do. (Mom is a treasure trove of knowledge and I will never catch up to her, even if I cook every day for the next 40 years.) Here is how my mother makes her rice pilaf. It isn’t a precise recipe because much depends on the type of rice and the type and amount of stock you have. But then again, rice pilaf is one of those foundation dishes that you can dress up in many different ways. Rice is most commonly associated with pilaf, but different cultures use a variety of grains for pilaf. Rice and stock go into a pot, complemented by seasonings, herbs, vegetables and sometimes meat.
The Best Rice for Rice Pilaf
This recipe calls for white rice, preferably long grain, but you can use other types. The amount of liquid you add to the rice depends on the particular rice you are using. Look at the directions on your package of rice.
Brown riceWild riceJasmine riceBasmati rice
Handy Make-Ahead Tip for Rice Pilaf!
Make this recipe up to the end of Step 3, then remove the pan from heat. It can sit this way for up to an hour. Then, boil the stock and pick up where you left off at the beginning of Step 4.
How to Store and Reheat This Recipe
Store cooled rice pilaf in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring frequently as it reheats. If the rice pilaf seems dry while reheating it on the stovetop, add a little stock.
What to Serve With Rice Pilaf
Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Miso Glazed Salmon Classic Baked Chicken Grilled Flank Steak With Mushrooms Mom’s Perfect Pork Chops
More Easy Rice Recipes to Make in 30 Minutes or Less!
Easy Boiled Long Grain Rice Indian Style Rice Easy Vegetable Fried Rice Chicken Fried Rice Ginger Pineapple Fried Rice
Cook the rice in a liquid that is primarily stock—chicken stock or vegetable stock. Up to half of the liquid can be plain water, but at least half of the needed liquid should be stock. Homemade stock is the best, of course, and will make a big difference in the quality of the resulting pilaf. Heat the measured amount of stock needed in a saucepan, at least 2 quart sized. When the rice has browned, add the onions and celery and cook a few minutes longer, until the onions begin to soften. If you are starting with seasoned broth, you may only need to add a teaspoon of salt. Taste test the broth/stock. It can be a little on the salty side because the rice will absorb a lot of the salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for as long as the instructions say on your package of rice. Usually between 15 to 25 minutes. Use a timer. After the set amount of cooking time, remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes, covered. At no point during the cooking of the rice should you uncover the pan.
