Friday 9 April 2021

Pilav - Humble rice pilaf (oven baked)


Jednostavan i ukusan pilav - podseća na detinjstvo. Svaka domaćica ima neku svoju verziju, a ovako su mene naučili kako se pravi "tanak pilav"... 

Zagrejati u tepsiji ulje (da pokrije dno), iseckati na rebarca dve veće glavice crnog luka, posoliti (po želji, dodati začin od suvog povrća) i propržiti na umerenoj temperaturi tako da postane "staklast". Zatim dodati pirinač i još malo pržiti, dok pirinač ne počne da se lepi za dno. Voditi računa da ne preterate sa količinom pirinča, pošto pilav treba da bude tanak, dodajte ga toliko da ne pokrije celu površinu tepsije nego oko dve trećine. Skloniti sa ringle, dobro pobiberiti, dodati pileće meso iz supe ili ostatke pečenog pileta, kolutove barene šargarepe i drugog povrća iz supe (ali ne mora),  naliti vodom ili supom tako da bude "s prsta" iznad pirinča, promešati i staviti u zagrejanu rernu da se peče na oko 180℃ sve dok ne ispari tečnost, a po površini treba da se formira fina korica. Zrna pirinča su mekana, sočna, ali pilav ne treba da pliva u tečnosti. Za pilav mogu da se iskoriste ostaci pečenog pilećeg mesa, ali i sveži komadi mesa. Služiti uz mileram i sezonsku salatu.

Luk se prži u tepsiji u kojoj se kasnije peče pilav, da se izbegne višak prljavih sudova. Pilav je zgodan da se iskoristi meso iz supe ili belo meso pečenog pileta koje najčešće niko ne voli. Brzo se priprema, ukusan je, može da se napravi veća količina "za dva dana", jeftin, sastojci "iz špajza".

Sastojci: dve veće glavice crnog luka, ulje, pileće meso iz supe (ili ostaci pečenog pileta, ili komadi sveže piletine), pirinač (okvirno jedna šolja), so, biber, opcionioi - začin od sušenog povrća, šargarepa (sveža ili kuvana), komadići skuvane zeleni iz supe (koren peršuna, paškanat, celer).

Humble rice pilaf (oven baked)

Rice pilaf is a simple, yet delicious one-pot dish, made with leftover chicken. I make it this way, which I learned from my mom and granny - we call it "thin pilaf" (because the rice layer is thin).

To keep it super simple, take one shallow dish which can be used both on the stove and in the oven (the size depends on how many persons you need to feed). Cut two large onions into strips (julienne). Put some sunflower oil into the dish, to cover the bottom, heat it, add onions, salt to taste, optionally 1-2 tablespoons dried vegetable mix. Fry over medium heat few minutes until translucent and softens a bit. Rinse and drain some rice, add it to the onion, fry for few more minutes, stirring constantly. When rice starts to stick to the bottom, remove it from the heat. 

Be careful not to "get nuts" with the amount of rice - remember, this is a "thin" pilaf. The rice will expand during the baking, so when you add dry rice, it should not cover the entire surface of the dish (but about 2/3). 

Pilaf is usually made to use leftovers from the chicken soup or roast, but of course you can use small pieces of fresh chicken or turkey meat. Arrange meat along wit the rice, add some sliced carrot (fresh or cooked). If you have some cooked parsley root or parsnip root from soup, feel free to slice them and toss into pilaf. Sprinkle evenly with generous amount of ground black pepper (do not stir, pepper should remain over the surface).  Pour some chicken stock (soup) or water over the rice - the level of liquid should be about 1cm over the surface of rice. With a wooden spoon just evenly distribute ingredients.  Bake uncovered at about 180℃ until the liquid evaporates almost completely, a kind of gentle crust is formed on the surface. The rice should be well cooked and soft, but not immersed in liquid. Serve with sour cream, and fresh seasonal salad.

The onion is fried in a pan in which the pilaf would be baked in order to avoid excess dirty dishes. Pilaf is great solution to use leftover chicken from soup or roast. Pilaf is simple, easy made dish, so delicious... Larger quantity can be made for "two days lunch", you only need few cheap pantry ingredients.  

Ingredients: two large onions, some oil, chicken soup, rice (about one cup), salt, pepper, leftover chicken roast (or cooked chicken from soup, or fresh chicken pieces), optionally - dried vegetable mix, carrot (fresh or cooked), cooked "white" roots from soup (parsley, parsnip, celeriac) .