by Mar on
This mushroom rice pilaf is a great side dish and often chosen alternative to my french fries or mashed potatoes.
It’s easy, ready in half hour and so delicious. Just keep it in small quantities and cook just the amount as you need in one sitting. Reheated cooked rice never taste the same as freshly cooked, losing its texture and flavor.
But first, for those that do not know:
What Is Rice Pilaf?
Rice pilaf is a dish of rice cooked in flavorful stock or broth as opposed to simple rice cooked in plain water.
It’s also often cooked and flavored with additional vegetables as bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, peas, zucchini, eggplants.
Another Turkish influence on our cuisine, even though rice pilaf is originally cooked with Basmati rice that remain “light, fluffy and separate” – nowadays we are using mostly round, short grain rice for rice dishes. We like sticky rice. 🙂
What can I say? Sticky with plenty of savory fat. That’s the way my grandma used to make it. I remember like it was yesterday.
🍄 Ingredients
For this simple recipe we are going to need:
- Short grain rice
- Chicken broth or vegetable stock
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- 1/2 carrot for color
- Salt and black peppercorns
- Cooking oil
🍛 How To Make This Rice Pilaf
1. Prep rice & veggies
Rinse the rice under running water and let it dry for 5 minutes.
Meantime chop the onion, grate the carrot, cleanse and slice the mushrooms.
2. Saute
Place a heavy bottom pan on a medium-low flame and heat the oil. Saute onion until translucent and soften really well. Add the grated carrot ans saute for another 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
Add the mushrooms and let them cook for several minutes to soften. Add the rice and fry together, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.
3. Add broth / stock
Add 2 ladles of warm chicken broth or stock and stir. Season with salt and peppercorns. Lower the flame and let it cook slowly, stirring often to not attach to the bottom of the pan.
The rice will absorb the stock and you just have to keep your eye on it and add more stock as it needs.
You cannot leave the stove, you have to keep stirring and adding liquid until the rice reaches the al dente point.
It’s usually done in 15-20 minutes. If you run out of stock, just add more warm water if still needed until it gets to the consistency you like.
I like my rice pilaf exactly as you see it in these pictures: not too liquid, not to dry either. This is the perfect consistency for me.
Turn off the flame and sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley (optional) and some grated Parmesan for enhanced flavor and taste.
🍽️ Serve
Serve this mushroom rice pilaf alongside any BBQ, fried meats, steaks, meat stews. It’s full of flavor and taste. And you don’t need much to fill your belly.
Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
It’s recommended that you cook small quantities needed per one sitting. If however still got leftovers, keep them covered into the fridge up to 4 days.
Reheat in the oven or on stove top, adding some water or stock.
Other tasteful rice dishes:
- Romanian Meatball Soup (yummy recipe)
- Romanian Stuffed Peppers (must try)
- Old Fashioned Rice Pudding (stove-top)
Mushroom Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain rice
- 5-6 cups chicken broth / vegetable stock
- 1 onion
- 1/2 carrot
- 3 mushrooms
- 3-4 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Rinse rice under running water and let it dry until you prep the vegetables. Warm the broth. Chop the onion, grate the carrot and slice the mushrooms.
- Heat the oil into a heavy bottom pan. Saute the onion until translucent, add the carrot and saute 3 minutes more. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the rice and fry 2 minutes stirring continuously. Add 2 ladles of warm broth and stir. Lower the flame, season with salt and pepper and let the rice cook slowly. Keep an eye on it and add more broth as needed, stirring often to avoid sticking to the pan. Cook until al dente (15-20 minutes).
- Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley, and some Parmesan. (optional). Serve as side dish to any meat, steak, BBQ.
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