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.
35 min.
Easy
1.00 €
6 people
8 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
1 
4 tablespoons 
200 ml rice
300 ml 
1 
20 g 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 15 min.
Cooking: 25 min.
All in all: 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
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.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 6 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=5 % | 80 RDI=10 % | 930 RDI=50 % | 3,910 RDI: 50 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 7 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 130 RDI=6 % | 540 RDI: 6 % |
| Per person | 1 RDI=0 % | 9 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 160 RDI=8 % | 650 RDI: 8 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 6 people : 1.00 €
- Per person : 0.20 €
Change currency:
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 29
Seafood rice salad
This warm rice salad ("riz du pêcheur" – fisherman's rice in French) combines cooked rice with sautéed prawns, mussels and flaked salmon in a rémoulade dressing.
43 K 30 min.
Cajun pork with rice.
In Cajun cooking, rice dishes with meat, like the famous jambalaya, take pride of place. Here is a simplified version using marinated pork.
83 K 2 hours 30 min.
Madras rice
Slices of sautéed aubergine and the lovely yellow colour from the curry spices bring a hint of India to this rice dish, given a twist with a little fried ham.
93 K 30 min.
Baby broad beans and peas with rice and mascarpone
Fresh spring vegetables (peas and young broad beans here) with white rice, made creamy at the last minute with a little mascarpone.
34 K 40 min.
Creamy rice with spinach
For this simple recipe, rice is mixed with a shallot cream before adding cooked spinach.
28 K 20 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Water
Like these other recipes: Cretan Bread, Blackcurrant liqueur, Pistachio powder or paste, "Buttonhole" quail eggs, Paella, ... See them all 138
Rice
Like these other recipes: Sushi, Rice pudding (riz au lait), How to cook rice in rice-cooker, Rice pudding with chestnuts and poached pears, Chicken with rice and leeks, ... See them all 22
Butter
Like these other recipes: Spinach on toast with bechamel, Beurre blanc sauce, Boulangère tart tatin with vine nectarines, Gratin Parmentier, Polenta with spinach and soft-poached egg, ... See them all 483
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Cauliflower and avocado rémoulade, Cretan-style salmon , Pesto, Green avocado salad, Bisto-style canapés, ... See them all 543
Other recipes you may also like
Quick flaky pizza
This pizza with a difference has a thin puff-pastry base instead the traditional dough. Apart from this small refinement, the basic elements you would expect are all there: tomato sauce, a variety of toppings and fresh basil leaves. September 26th 2018123 K 40 min.
Sorrel soup
Smooth with a slight sharpness, this soup has a very particular taste. May 8th 2011413 K3.8 1 hour 4 min.
Potato tortilla (Spanish omelette)
Tortilla is a recipe from Spain, which can be eat hot or cold. It's a kind of omelette, with several ingredients, in this recipe potatoes, onion and smoked ham. Ingredients are cooked first, then mixed with egg, to make a tortilla which is cooked on both sides. February 21th 2011315 K 34 1 hour 20 min.
How to prepare cabbage
Cabbage can be used cooked or raw, whole leaves or in julienne. Here is how to prepare a cabbage julienne. December 31th 20131.15 M 13.4 45 min.
Poached eggs
Poached eggs are cooked, without the shell, in barely simmering (nearly boiling) water. White should be firm and yolk soft, that's the difficulty. This recipe teaches you how to succeed with three important points. January 8th 2013329 K5 2 hours 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-12-07)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe