Caraway

Kurdish Rice Pilaf

by:
October 20, 2015
4.8
4 Ratings
Photo by All that's Jas
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

The contrast of the crunchy naan bread and fluffy rice is incredible; you will never make rice the old-fashioned way again. —Jas

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 1 naan bread, broken into bite-size pieces
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups water
Directions
  1. Rinse rice with hot water. Cover rice with water and let soak for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium size saucepan bring water and salt to boil. Drain the rice and add to the boiling water. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Rice is cooked when it floats to the surface.
  2. Drain the rice again and leave it in the sieve for few minutes. Mix in caraway seeds if using.
  3. Meanwhile, in the same saucepan, heat one tablespoon oil. Remove from the heat and cover the bottom of the pan with naan bread pieces. Gently spoon the cooked rice over naan bread. Do not press down.
  4. Using a wooden spoon handle, poke few holes in the rice. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. In the meantime, heat the remaining oil over high heat just until it starts smoking. Pour hot oil slowly over the rice. Place paper towel over the pan and cover with lid. Cook on the lowest setting for about 5 minutes.
  5. To serve, spoon the rice onto a serving plate and arrange bread pieces around.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

2 Reviews

Chiachee July 30, 2020
My Kurdish neighbor used to make rice very similar to how this recipe is made. But he used lavash instead of naan. This method of rice cooking is by far the best rice I’ve ever had and I’m Chinese. I’ll have to try this recipe.
 
Jas July 30, 2020
I agree! So simple, yet so flavorful. I hope you give it a try! Enjoy :)