Ic Pilav (Turkish Rice Pilaf with Currants and Pine Nuts)

About This Recipe

Ic pilav ('inner pilaf') began as the stuffing for Ottoman-style roast chicken, its sweet currants and toasted pine nuts balancing the savory bird, but it stands entirely on its own as a simple lunch bowl. The rice is sauteed briefly in butter with onion before the liquid goes in, a technique that keeps each grain separate and gives the pilaf a faint nuttiness even before the pine nuts are added. Allspice and a little cinnamon lend warmth without turning the dish sweet, while a generous handful of fresh dill stirred in at the end keeps it tasting bright rather than heavy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupslong-grain rice(rinsed until water runs clear)
• 4 tbspunsalted butter
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 1/3 cuppine nuts
• 1/3 cupcurrants(soaked in warm water 10 minutes)
• 1/2 tspground allspice
• 1/4 tspground cinnamon
• 3 cupschicken or vegetable stock(hot)
• 1 tspsalt
• 3 tbspfresh dill(chopped)
• 2 tbspfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the pine nuts

   Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy pot and toast pine nuts until golden; remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Soften the onion

   Add remaining butter and cook onion over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Toast the rice

   Stir in the drained rice and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the grains look glossy and slightly opaque.

4. 4

   Add spices and liquid

   Stir in allspice, cinnamon, drained currants and salt, then pour in hot stock and bring to a boil.

5. 5

   Simmer covered

   Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer 15-18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and craters form on the surface.

6. 6

   Rest and fluff

   Remove from heat, lay a clean towel under the lid, and let rest 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

   Resting off heat is what keeps the grains distinct instead of gummy.

7. 7

   Finish

   Fold in the toasted pine nuts, dill and parsley just before serving.

Variations

• •

  Traditionally this pilaf is used to stuff a whole roast chicken, absorbing pan juices as it bakes inside.

• •

  Some regions add cooked chicken liver, diced small, for a heartier version.

• •

  A vegan version simply uses vegetable stock and omits nothing else — the dish is naturally vegetarian-friendly.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of stock or water to loosen the grains, covered, over low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions