Pilau rice
Pilau rice (also called "restaurant rice" in France) is a way of cooking rice that's very different from using a rice-cooker. In this recipe, the rice is first "pearled" with onion in olive oil, then chicken stock is added, and the whole lot is put in the oven. This produces a very tasty moist rice, which can easily be kept waiting without drying out.
Last modified on: February 21th 2011
Keywords for this recipe:RiceRestaurantDouble cookedOvenPearledOnionFaySoft
1 
4 tablespoons 
200 ml rice
300 ml 
1 
20 g 
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|
| 11 min. | 22 min. | 33 min. |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 5 min.
Préparez 1 onion.
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
Prepare chicken stock by mixing 1 chicken stock cube and 300 ml water (hot).
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
Prepare chicken stock by mixing 1 chicken stock cube and 300 ml water (hot).
Stage 2 - 2 min.
Put 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof pan over moderate heat.
When oil is hot, add chopped onion, mix well, salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 or 2 minutes without allowing to colour.
When oil is hot, add chopped onion, mix well, salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 or 2 minutes without allowing to colour.
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Tip in 200 ml rice all at once, and "pearl", which means: cook 2 or 3 minutes, stirring continuously...
Stage 4
...until rice become translucent, "pearled".
Stage 5 - 1 min.
Then add chicken stock in one go...
Stage 6
...and mix thoroughly.
Stage 7 - 20 min.
Cover (lid or aluminium foil) and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
Stage 8 - 2 min.
After this time, remove from the oven, uncover and add 20 g butter in small pieces, while stirring to melt them.
Stage 9
Your pilau rice is ready, but it can be covered and kept hot for a while.
Remarks
Unfortunately, cooking rice like pasta (in boiling water then draining) is the worst method! Because like that most of the flavour disappears with the water, and that's a pity.
On the other hand in a rice-cooker or using the pilau method, the rice has only the volume of liquid that it will absorb, and so retains its flavour.
To succeed with pilau rice, there are 2 important points
1) You should never use more than one and a half time the volume of liquid than volume of rice.
2) cooking time should not exceed 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F), covered.
Sometimes, you might read in other recipes, that pilau rice can only be cooked in oven. That's not true. Yes, it's better in the oven because it's softer and cooks more evenly, but not obligatory. You can cook it on low heat, covered, without stirring.
You can also vary the taste by adding a bayleaf during cooking or a bouquet garni or other herbs of your choice. You can also change the chicken stock for vegetable or beef stock, or add some dry white wine. So, let your imagination guide you.
On the other hand in a rice-cooker or using the pilau method, the rice has only the volume of liquid that it will absorb, and so retains its flavour.
To succeed with pilau rice, there are 2 important points
1) You should never use more than one and a half time the volume of liquid than volume of rice.
2) cooking time should not exceed 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F), covered.
Sometimes, you might read in other recipes, that pilau rice can only be cooked in oven. That's not true. Yes, it's better in the oven because it's softer and cooks more evenly, but not obligatory. You can cook it on low heat, covered, without stirring.
You can also vary the taste by adding a bayleaf during cooking or a bouquet garni or other herbs of your choice. You can also change the chicken stock for vegetable or beef stock, or add some dry white wine. So, let your imagination guide you.
Keeping
Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 934 Kcal or 3,910 Kj | 6 gr | 54 gr | 77 gr |
| 47 % | 2 % | 5 % | 12 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 128 Kcal or 536 Kj | 1 gr | 7 gr | 11 gr |
| 6 % | <1 % | 1 % | 2 % |
| Per person | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 156 Kcal or 653 Kj | 1 gr | 9 gr | 13 gr |
| 8 % | <1 % | 1 % | 2 % |
How much will it cost?
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Source
Home made.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Water: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Spaghetti Bolognese, How to heat milk without it catching on the bottom of the pan, Tomato foccacia, French Family Cake, Chicken pie, ... All |
 | Rice: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Crispy spinach rolls, Rice pudding (riz au lait), Paella, Mussels with arroz negro, Sushi, ... All |
 | Butter: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Brioche galette, Caramelized pear custard tart, Asparagus "en petit pois", Gratin-style spinach and chicken omelette , Red rice pannequets, ... All |
 | Olive oil: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Stuffed tomatoes and courgettes, Fougasse with bacon and Comté, Sautéed turmeric chicken with mushrooms, Chicken and mushroom pie, Bacon and cabbage omelette, ... All |
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Your 1 comments or questions on this recipe
- This is a new way to me for making rice, JH. I'm liking it very much. It seems easier and I bet it can be flavored with most anything. Thanks for sharing...Posted by Louise august 31th 2009 at 18:47 (n° 1)
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