This one-pot wonder dish is just the sort of food I crave and like to eat during these chilly winter months. Spice-heavy beef mince suspended in fluffy grains of basmati rice, studded with golden almonds & raisins and speckled with pops of fresh green peas.
This jeweled, beefy rice is the perfect complete dish to cozy up with on the sofa after a long, cold day when all you can manage is pj’s and one utensil.
Easy to cook, easier to eat, DOUBLE WIN!
For another cosy winter beef dish, try this Meatball Noodle Soup
Spiced Beef & Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 500 g lean beef mince
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp mixed spice any general mixed spice will work, I used baharat
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tbsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tbsp ground nutmeg
- 2.5 cups basmati rice
- 4 cups beef stock
- 200 g frozen peas
- 100 g toasted almonds blanched whole, or flaked, or slivered
- 100 g raisins
- 50 g barberries (totally optional if you can find them)*
- salt & pepper to taste
- half a bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Place the oil, onion & garlic into a large pan on medium heat (use a pan that is nice and wide, moderately deep and has a tight fitting lid). Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened.
- Turn the heat up to high & add the beef, and cook, stirring frequently to break up the mince, until the beef is starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook a further 2 minutes till spices are fragrant.
- Add the rice and stir for a minute to evenly distribute the ingredients & get all the rice grains nicely coated in spices & oil, then add the stock. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat to the lowest possible setting and place the lid on the pot. Leave it, covered for 10 minutes.
- Take the lid off, add the peas, almonds, raisins & barberries (if using), scattering them onto the surface of the rice, then put the lid back on and let it cook a further 5 minutes.
- Take the lid off, and use a fork to fluff up the rice. Have a taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with the chopped parsley & serve right away.
Notes
*Barberries are a lovely Persian sour berry that can be found dried in most specialty Middle Eastern stores. It gives nice tangy pops of flavour and colour, but the recipe will work absolutely fine without it!
Feel free to change the type of nut and dried fruit in this recipe, such as hazelnuts, pine nuts, chopped dried apricot or prunes etc.
Feel free to change the type of nut and dried fruit in this recipe, such as hazelnuts, pine nuts, chopped dried apricot or prunes etc.
Nutrition
Calories: 604kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 30gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 384mgPotassium: 973mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 262IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
