Fragrant Turkish rice pilaf studded with currants, pine nuts, and dill, traditionally stuffed inside whole chickens but delicious on its own.
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.
Serves 4
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy pot and toast pine nuts until golden; remove and set aside.
Add remaining butter and cook onion over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the drained rice and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the grains look glossy and slightly opaque.
Stir in allspice, cinnamon, drained currants and salt, then pour in hot stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer 15-18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and craters form on the surface.
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.
Fold in the toasted pine nuts, dill and parsley just before serving.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear — this removes surface starch that would otherwise make the pilaf gluey.
Use a heavy-bottomed pot so the bottom layer of rice doesn't scorch during the long simmer.
Soak the currants briefly in warm water so they plump rather than staying leathery in the finished pilaf.
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.
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.
Ic pilav is a legacy of Ottoman palace cuisine, where sweet-savory combinations of dried fruit, nuts, and rice were prized in the imperial kitchens of Topkapi Palace and later spread to home cooking across Anatolia.
Yes, it reheats well; just add a splash of stock when warming it up so the rice doesn't dry out.
Golden raisins, chopped small, are the closest substitute and are commonly used interchangeably in Turkey.
That usually means too much liquid or stirring during the simmer — measure the stock precisely and resist lifting the lid.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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