The delicacy, pilau, has a strong relationship with Kenyans; rather, it will be good to say that it has a strong relationship with all Africans. Pilau is commonly known as a Kenyan delicacy but this rice dish is commonly eaten all around East Africa. Just as Jollof rice is the most famous and most common dish of West Africa, so is pilau for the East Africans. This dish is usually served during special occasions. The pilau dish can be prepared to suit both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Yes, you read it right, pilau can be cooked without meat. This article will teach you how to cook pilau with pilau masala and in four different ways. So let’s get started.
How to make pilau masala
Cooking yummy pilau is not a big deal but you should have your spices in accurate quantities. So, before you get yourself acquainted with the pilau recipe, let’s first learn how to make the pilau masala you shall be using on your pilau dish. It’s better to make your own pilau masala than to buy it in the market. This is because the masala you make on your own will surely give you a much more vibrant flavour Each cooking style tends to have a slight variation in the quantity of different of spices in the pilau spice mix. I usually follow the guide and basic rules below to make my pilau spice for three cups of rice.
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One stick of cinnamon is enough for 3 cups of rice.You should not use more than 1 tablespoon of cumin for 3 cups of rice. Otherwise, it can overpower the flavour.6-8 cloves are enough for 3 cups of rice. Too many cloves will numb your mouth.4-5 cardamoms will be justified to 3 cups of rice.5-6 peppers will give the spice a good flavor.Grind all the above spices in a mixer or using mortar and pestle and make your own pilau masala spice. And if it seems to be difficult for you to make the masala at home, then go for the pilau masala packets that are available in the market.
Now scroll down to check out the simple pilau masala recipes we have provided for you.
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How to cook rice with pilau masala- Simple chicken pilau recipe
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For some, cooking pilau is a task full of hurdles. Most of the Kenyan bachelors or those people who have come into the cooking field for the first time are often confused about how to cook Kenyan pilau. So for them, here's a guide to cooking the best pilau ever.
Ingredients
1 cup of Basmati rice (You can use any type of rice you wish)3 tbsp of vegetable oil or olive oil(if health-conscious)2 cups of chicken breast chopped½ cup of finely chopped onions½ teaspoon of green pepper2 green cardamoms1 medium-size cinnamon stick1 tbsp ginger paste1 tbsp garlic paste½ teaspoon saffron or turmeric2 to 3 cups of boiling plain chicken broth or you can also use a chicken flavour cube. Mix it in two cups of mildly hot water¼- ½ cup of coconut milk1 tablespoon coriander powder2 tablespoon of pilau masalaSalt to taste
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Method
Put a pan on the flame. Heat the oil in medium heat.Add the chopped chicken breast on the pan and stir it until the colour of the chicken becomes golden-brown.Now, transfer the fried chicken to another vessel.Now, in the same pan, add oil again and add the whole spices. When the whole spices start crackling, add the chopped onions and green peppers.Fry all the above ingredients until they turn golden-brown.Now add the ginger and garlic paste. Stir it until the garlic smell is gone. Then add the turmeric/ saffron and stir for another minute.Now add the fried chicken and rice into the pan and stir it well.Now, in a separate bowl, add the coconut milk with the 2 cups of hot chicken broth.Now, add the coconut mixture into the pan and stir it well.Cover the pan and turn the heat into medium and wait for 20 minutes until the rice is dry.Serve the pilau in a serving plate.And this is how you prepare chicken pilau in just about 30 minutes. The above recipe will serve a family of four. Serve it hot and enjoy.
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How to cook nice pilau- simple beef pilau recipe
How 2 cook pilau rice with beef is almost the same as that of the chicken recipe. There are some little differences in the making of the pilau. You can cook easy pilau following the procedure given below. This is a quick guide to cooking nice pilau with pilau masala. Scroll down and check out the ingredients and method of preparation.
Ingredients
5- 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil300 grams of beef cubes2 cups of onions finely chopped1 cup of grated carrots1 teaspoon of chilli powder2 tablespoons of pilau masala2-3 bay leaves5 cups of hot water1 cup of basmati rice(150gm), rinsed and soaked in cold water1 tablespoon of coriander powder1 garlic bulb, cut the top off to expose the cloves of the garlicSalt to tasteMethod
Take a large pot and heat oil in it. Add the beef into the oil in batches as we do not want to overcrowd the pan. Cook the beef for 3 to 4 minutes until it turns brown on both sides.Add the chopped onions and stir for another 3 to 4 minutes.Now add the chopped carrots and add all the spices (salt, pepper, chilli powder, pilau masala, and the bay leaves). Stir for another 4 to 5 minutes till the carrots turn soft.Now add 3 cups of hot water to the mix and cover the pot with a lid. Let it boil for about 45 minutes to 1 hour as we want our beef to become tender.After 45 minutes, check for the beef tenderness and then layer the rice on to the beef. Add some more salt and pour another 2 cups of water to cook the rice. Again, cover the lid and let it simmer for another 15 minutes.Now, open the lid of the pot and season the almost-cooked rice with coriander powder. At this stage, push the garlic bulb into the rice making sure that the exposed cloves are submerged in the rice.Cover the lid again and let it sit for another 10 minutes.Now, open the lid and remove the bulb of the garlic and the bay leaves from the cooked pilau.Serve the pilau hot with kachumbari (salad) and enjoy with your family. The above recipe will serve a family of four.
How to cook spicy pilau with pork
It is not very tough to cook pork pilau. In just a few simple steps, you shall have your pork pilau ready. The how to cook pilau procedure is given below. Scroll down and check out the easy steps to follow when cooking pilau with pork.
Ingredients
2 cups of half-cooked rice (approx. 100 grams of Basmati rice)¼ kg of pork meat2 tablespoons of pilau masala2 cups of water1 tablespoon of grated ginger1 tablespoon of garlic paste3 to 4 tablespoon of vegetable oil/ olive oil1 cup grated carrot1 cup of finely chopped onions½ cup of chopped green pepper½ cup of green peas2 tablespoon of chopped coriander4-6 cashew nuts (optional)Method
Take a bowl and mix the sliced pork with pilau masala, garlic paste, grated ginger and some oil. Place a lid on the bowl. Marinate the pork for about half an hour to an hour.Crack on the heat and place a pan on it. Put a little of the oil in the pan and sauté the marinated pork until the pork turns golden-brown in colour. Remove the fried pork from the pan and keep it aside.In the same pan, add some more oil to it and add the chopped onions. Fry it for 2 minutes then add the grated carrots in with the chopped peppers. Stir-fry until it is slightly cooked.Now, add the fried pork, rice, and the green peas in the pan, mix it well and stir for another 2 minutes. Add the water and let it boil for nearly 30 minutes and cover the pan with a lid.Now open the lid and check your meat and rice to check whether it has been cooked well or not.Serve your ready, hot, and spicy pork pilau with cashew nuts.This pork pilau will go with green salad or kachumbari. Serve it hot and enjoy with your family.
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How to cook simple pilau - vegetarian pilau
Kenyan vegetarian people often search for “Recipe on how to cook pilau” on the internet. For them, we at TUKO.co.ke have brought you the recipe for vegetarian pilau.
Ingredients
2 cups of rice½ cup of green peas1 cup of carrot grated1 cup of onions, finely chopped1 cup of green pepper, finely chopped1 teaspoon of ginger, grated1 teaspoon of garlic, grated1 bay leaf1 medium stick of cinnamon2 green cardamoms1/2 cup of tomato puree3 tablespoons of vegetable oil2 tablespoons of pilau masala½ teaspoon of turmeric4 cups of hot watersalt to tasteMethod
Put a pan on the heat and add oil to the pan.Now, pour all the raw spices into the pan and let them crackle. Now, add the chopped onions and the grated ginger and garlic and sauté them for a while.When the onion became translucent in colour, add the carrots, green pepper, and the peas into the pan and stir-fry it for another 5 to 6 minutes.Now, add the tomato puree and mix it well. At this stage, season the mixture with pilau masala, turmeric, and salt. Stir for the next 10 minutes.Now, add the rice and stir the mixture for another 2 minutes. Add water to it and cover the pan with a lid. Let it boil for another 15 to 20 minutes and ensure the rice cooks completely.After 20 minutes, transfer the pilau into a serving dish.Enjoy your simple vegetarian hot pilau with your family. The above recipe will serve four people.
Now, for sure, you have gotten an idea of how to cook pilau, and you can easily become an expert in cooking pilau. To get more Kenyan food recipes, stay tuned on TUKO.co.ke.
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