Pilaf was my favourite way of having rice when I was still living back home. Guess should come from the Middle East as a dish, but after centuries of culture mixture, let's say that today this side dish is gonna be an Albanian specialty :)
Ingredients:
1/2 kg of rice
1/2 kg of beef meat
1 onion
2-3 liters of water
20 gr of butter
1 clove of garlic
half aubergine - Just my deviation from the original recipe, but doesn't have to be there
salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil
Preparation:
Start by warming up the olive oil in the pot, crush the clove of garlic with your hand and put leave it on the hot oild till it starts getting a red color.
Cut the onions in very small parts, remove the garlic fron the pot, and add the onions.
Meanwhile cut you beef into smaller pieces, wait for the onion to get a nice yellow to red color, and add the meat.
Continue to mix so the meat does not stick to the pot and get burnt!!!
Start adding the water slowly so the combination of water and hot does not burn you. Once the 2 - 3 liters of water were added, cover the pot and lower the flames. The boiling process takes long time while using beef. Normally to 3 hrs, depending on how fresh the meat is.
Be carefull and check the pot every 20 min in order the water not to evaporate totally.
Once the beef broth is ready (once the meat is so soft that it can be divided into smaller pieces without much effort) its time to use it to prepare the rice.
As I mentioned before, eventhough its not into the original recipe, I use half aubergine because it gives a nice smell to the rice.
Into another pot start melting the butter and once its melted and hot, add the aubergines and the rice slowly. Continue mixing till they get the yellow color, and slowly add the broth.
For 500 gr of rice we will need 1 liter of broth.
Once the broth was added totally, lower the fire to minimum, and let it boil for 20 min uncovering the pot.
Once small holes are formed into the surface of the rice, turn off the fire, cover the pot, and let it to rest for another 20 min.
Your pilaf IS READY. Its a very tasty side dish, and goes really well to meat and especially meat balls. I prefer it also as it is casue its delicious and it reminds me so much of my granny.
Enjoy
