CHESTNUT PILAV; A PLEASANT GARNITUR TO COMPLEMENT ROASTED POULTRY DISHES

Full recipe for the CHESTNUT PILAV
Ingredients:

2 onions (~300 g)
cup olive oil
2 cups calrose rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cups (~300 g) chestnuts
cup pistachios
cup almonds
cup pumpkin seeds
cup raisins
cup pine nuts
cup black currants
tbsp grounded cinnamon
tbsp allspice (the mixture of clove-nutmeg-cinnamon powder)
tbsp salt
bunch of fresh dill
bunch of fresh parsley

Directions:

PREPARATION
Peel the onions, then, finely dice them, and set aside.
Wash and strain the fresh parsley and dill, mince them and set aside.
Lightly roast the almonds, pine nuts, and pistachios separately, in a non-stick pan, then set aside
Boil and peel the chestnuts or chose pre-cooked and packaged chestnuts for easy preparation
Chose the finest chestnuts and roasted nuts to decorate the Pilav
Set out a pie pan or bowl for the decoration.
Carefully arrange the chestnuts and preferred nuts in a single layer at the bottom of the decoration bowl and set it aside.
Measure 2 cups of Calrose rice, wash for a couple of minutes, then drain the excess water, and set aside

COOKING
Choose a large and shallow pilav pot for cooking all the ingredients, together.
Begin by heating cup of olive oil on medium-high heat
Then, saute the onions for 1-2 minutes
Add 2 cups of rice and gently stir the rice-onion mixture for 4-5 minutes; Stir regularly until the grains become bright and slightly translucent
Then, add cup of roasted pistachios, cup of almonds, cup of pumpkin seeds, cup of pine nuts
Mix the ingredients well, then, add 2 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water
(Normally, 3 cups of juice is enough for the pilav; however, the nuts and raisins will absorb some of the juice)
Add cup of raisins, cup of black currants, and 2 cups of chestnuts.
Finally, add tbsp of salt, tbsp of ground cinnamon, and tbsp of allspice
Gently stir to combine all the ingredients together
Lower the heat to the minimum setting, cover the pot with a lid and cook the pilav for 18-20 minutes, until the rice absorbs all of the liquids.

When cooking is done, turn off the heat and place a paper towel under the lid to soak up any excess moisture around the top layers
Let the pilav sit warm for 10-15 minutes (A.K.A. brew) while the keeping the pot is warm.
(!) You can put the pot into an insulated bag or keep it in a warm oven if you dont have an electrical stove.

While the temperature slowly drops within the pot, the rice will absorb some of the remaining steam within ~15 minutes of rest
These conditions allow the pilav to develop its optimum taste and texture
Once rhe restinh is complete, gently mix and fluff the Pilav
Add the freshly minced parsley and dill into the pot, and thoroughly mix the pilav to equally distribute all the ingredients

Gently transfer the Pilav to the decorated pie pan (or bowl)
To keep the decorations in place, first place 2-3 spoons of pilav to gently cover the chestnuts and the almonds in the bowl; Then, lightly press to compact
You can now, safely add the rest of the Pilav

Flip the decorated bowl onto a flat serving plate and keep it covered until serving
(!) Otherwise the Pilav can easily get cold and dry out

SERVING
The CHESTNUT PILAF is a favourite side dish to a variety of roasted poultry dishes
It is an outstanding combination of rich nutty textures; cinnamon, and allspice aromas; and the sweet taste of raisins, sauteed onions, and chestnuts!!
Green parsley and dill give this dish a refreshing quality and an uplifting effect for hearty dinner tables

CHESTNUT PILAV turns your dinner table into an elaborate feast!

Enjoy the bounty!

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