Consume / Health

Serves	Hands on Time	Cooking Time
4	5 minutes	30 minutes

Pilaf is ancient and good for the soul. Alexander the Great and his army were so impressed with the Pilaf they were served on their crusades that they brought these recipes back to Macedonia. In time these influences spread across vast territories from Spain to South Asia. The Spanish Paella and South Asian Pilau and Biryani evolved from these humble origins.

This simple version adds orange peel to add a citrus twist. Add chopped mint to elevate.

/ Health score

You’ll need:

Ingredients

• 300g basmati or long grain rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 500ml hot vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, preferably toasted
• 50g dried apricots, chopped
• 50g sultanas
• 2-3 orange peels, sliced
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• handful fresh thyme
• handful fresh parsley
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Toast your pine nuts, if not already toasted, in a small shallow pan for 2-3 minutes until golden. Allow to cool.
2. Place your rice in a heavy bottom pan and cover with your stock.
3. Add orange peel, cloves, bay and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil before gently simmering for 20-25 minutes with the lid on, checking to not over boil.
4. The rice should soak up all of the liquid once cooked.
5. Once cooked, take off the heat and stir through apricots, sultanas, chopped thyme and parsley.
6. Let the rice steam with the lid on for 3-4 minutes until fluffy.