This authentic dish, no doubt, does not tolerate two things: hustle and bustle. Many Asian traditions are associated with it. One of them is cooking in a special container called a cauldron. However, today, at a time of total lack of free minutes and hours, sometimes there simply is no time to observe traditions. But you can always try to build pilaf in the oven - a great alternative to a dish made on an open fire. Moreover, setting the correct temperature and timer, you can simultaneously do other things without fear that something will be wrong with the food.
A bit about the dish itself
Pilaf in its various manifestations is a traditional dish of many Asian peoples, and quite ancient. It cannot be said with accuracy when a person began to cook this dish. It can be assumed: the basic principles developed in India no earlier than the third century BC. There have long existed rice dishes without meat - the so-called vegetarian option. And meat has already begun to be introduced into the components in Persia. And they began to tint the dish with saffron and turmeric. Pilaf is mentioned in the legendary “One Thousand and One Nights.” Through Turkey, he reached Europe, the Balkans, where he acquired his national characteristics.
Meat, used as one of the main ingredients, is an excellent source of protein and trace elements. And rice, especially unpolished, is rich in fiber and vitamins. The presence of spices makes the dish truly unique, helping to restore strength and energy. Now we’ll tell you in more detail how to make pilaf in the oven.
Ingredients for a Basic Recipe
Traditionally, pilaf is cooked with lamb, but in modern conditions, pork, chicken (turkey), and beef (veal) are used. We will need: a pound of meat, a glass and a half of rice, carrot, onion, a few cloves of garlic, a little vegetable oil, lavrushka, salt with seasonings for the dish, peppercorns. And you can start cooking pilaf in the oven.
Simple cooking!
- Before making pilaf, it is necessary to fill the rice with ordinary water at room temperature (not boiling water). Let it stand for some time, soaking and swelling.
- Lamb (pork, veal) cut into small pieces. If there are films - delete.
- We put a large frying pan on the stove, pour in the vegetable oil and heat it well, then put the cut meat in a container. Stir, frying the pulp to a half-finished state.
- Grate the carrots, and chop the onion finely.
- We take out the meat temporarily on a separate plate, and put the onion and carrot in the container where it was fried. Fry vegetables until golden brown.
- In the meantime, put the pulp in a roasting pan or baking dish, where it will be “brought to mind” in the oven. You can immediately choose a dish in which the dish can be served at the table. This optimizes the cooking process.
- Drain the water from the rice (put it in a colander) and put it on top of the meat. And toasted rice comes with fried onions, coupled with carrots.
- At this point, the semi-finished product should be salted, put pepper with peas and bay leaf. And also introduce other seasonings if you plan to do this (we will talk about the “correct” composition of spices a little later).
- Pour the whole mass with boiling water (at the rate of about 1 to 2, that is, two parts of the liquid will be part of the mixture of rice and meat with seasonings and vegetables).
We cover the form with foil and send the design to the oven, heated to 180 ° C, for an hour (we set the timer and you can do other things).
- Well, time is up, the signal sounded. Now you can remove the foil and enjoy: pilaf in the oven, crumbly and tasty, turned out no worse than cooked in a cauldron. Serve to the table in the same container or by shifting to portioned dishes. You need to eat the dish hot.
Pork
It should be noted that pilaf in the oven with pork is cooked in almost the same way as with lamb. But some features of this type of meat should still be considered. For example, pork is traditionally fatter, and it “keeps up” faster. And we, just for a change, will try to build in the oven pilaf in pots - a great authentic dish, which is served to the table directly in portioned containers. So what do you need to take for this?
Ingredients
Pilaf in the oven with pork, made in clay (ceramic) pots, will surely appeal to your whole family and guests who have looked at the light. In addition, it can become the main hot dish at the festive table.
So, take about a kilogram of pork. Try to take it not too fat, but not dry carbonate. For example, a ham or shoulder blade will be just right for pilaf. And also: a pound of rice, a couple of medium-sized carrots, a couple of onions, salt / pepper (or mixture), seasonings for pilaf, a little vegetable oil and fresh herbs. And, of course, we need special clay culinary pots with lids.
Simple cooking!
- Pilaf in pots in the oven is not too complicated. So even a not too experienced hostess can handle it. First, soak the rice grains in slightly salted cool water.
- Cut the pork into pieces and fry a little in vegetable oil in a pan. Then we take out in a separate container, and leave the fat in a pan.
- We clean vegetables: onions with carrots. We cut the onion into cubes or strips and rub the carrots coarsely. Fry the vegetables in the same oil (from the meat) for another eight to ten minutes.
- Cooking pots: they need to be thoroughly washed or scalded with boiling water (especially if you bought new ones). Then we arrange pork, onions with carrots in containers, add seasonings, salt, and pepper.
- On top of all this stuff we spread the soaked rice. Pour each pot with hot broth or boiling water. The liquid level should rise above the rice by one and a half to two centimeters. We close the clay containers with lids, send them to the oven (preheat it to 180 degrees). We set the timer for an hour or an hour fifteen.
- We take out the pots from the oven and open the lids - let the dish “air” a little. Delicious pilaf made in the oven, ready to eat. And now you can call the guests to the table.
From beef
Pilaf in the oven with beef is no less simple, of course, again, given the features of this type of meat. Beef is much drier than, for example, pork or lamb. Therefore, it is ideal for people who count calories. Although, of course, such a dish as pilaf, simply cannot be called dietary . So, we take steam beef - half a kilo, a couple of carrots and a couple of onions, 400 grams of rice (it is better to take unpolished - it is ideal for lean meat), a half glass of vegetable oil, a handful of raisins without stones, seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.
Simple cooking!
This recipe for pilaf in an oven in a glass dish is not much different from cooking, for example, in pots. The capacity, of course, should be special, heat-resistant. But in general, we proceed as follows. First, fry the meat in boiling lean oil. Then remove the pieces of beef, and fry vegetables in the same fat. We put the meat in a heat-resistant glass container of suitable sizes, on it - vegetables brought to a golden hue. And already on them - spices and rice (pre-soak at least half an hour). Pour all this stuff with boiling water, cover with a heat-resistant lid and put in the oven (it must be heated to 180 degrees). We set the timer for 1 hour, and you can do other things (and there are always those in the kitchen). After the expiration of the period, remove the dish from the oven and open the lid. What a wonderful smell! It is possible to lay pilaf in portions and serve it by trimming finely chopped fresh herbs.
What spices to choose
It is time to reveal a little secret: what spices are usually put in this dish. Traditionally, as already mentioned, saffron and turmeric have long been used. For beef pilaf, zira with marjoram, basil with coriander and caraway seeds are optimal. For chicken, you can add oregano and dried thyme. For pork, add dried tomatoes and paprika. In any case, it should turn out delicious: just lick your fingers! Bon appetit to all!