Pilaf

Pilaf(US:/ˈpiːlɑːf/),pilavorpilau(UK:/ˈpiːlaʊ,piːˈlaʊ/) is aricedish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking instockorbroth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat,and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do not adhere.
At the time of theAbbasid Caliphate, such methods of cooking rice at first spread through a vast territory  fromSouth AsiatoSpain, and eventually to a wider world. The Spanishpaella,and the South Asianpilauorpulao,andbiryani,evolved from such dishes.
Pilaf and similar dishes are common toMiddle Eastern,West Asian,Balkan,Caribbean,South Caucasian,Central Asian,East African,Eastern European,Latin American,Maritime Southeast Asia, andSouth Asiancuisines; in these areas, they are regarded asstaple dishes.
According to theOxford English Dictionary, Third Edition (2006) theEnglishwordpilaf, which is the later andNorth American Englishform, is a borrowing fromTurkish, its etymon, or linguistic ancestor, the Turkishpilav, whose etymon is the Persianpilāv; "pilaf" is found more commonly in North American dictionaries thanpilau, all from the Persianpilav.
TheBritishandCommonwealth Englishspelling,pilau, has etymon Persianpulaw(in formpalāv,pilāv, orpulāvin the 16th century) andUrdupulāv("dish of rice and meat"), fromPersianpulāv("Side dishes, spices, meat, vegetables, even plain rice "), the Tamil Pulukku ("Dravidian (compare Tamil puḷukku (adjective) simmered, (noun) boiled or parboiled food,puḷukkalcooked rice); in turn probably fromSanskritpulāka("ball of rice").
Although the cultivation of rice had spread much earlier fromIndiatoCentralandWest Asia, it was at the time of theAbbasid Caliphatethat methods of cooking rice which approximate modern styles of cooking pilaf at first spread through a vast territory fromSpaintoAfghanistan, and eventually to a wider world. The Spanishpaella,and theSouth Asianpilauorpulao,andbiryani,evolved from such dishes.
According to authorK. T. Achaya, the Indian epicMahabharatamentions an instance of rice and meat cooked together. Also, according to Achaya, "pulao" or "pallao" is used to refer to a rice dish in ancient Sanskrit works such as theYājñavalkya Smṛti.However, according to food writersColleen Taylor SenandCharles Perry, and social theoristAshis Nandy, these references do not substantially correlate to the commonly used meaning and history implied in pilafs, which appear in Indian accounts after the medieval Central Asian conquests.
SimilarlyAlexander the Greatand his army, many centuries earlier, in the 4th century BCE, have been reported to be so impressed withBactrianandSogdianpilavsthat his soldiers brought the recipes back toMacedoniawhen they returned.Similar stories exist of Alexander introducing pilaf toSamarkand; however, they are considered apocryphal by art historianJohn Boardman.Similarly, it has been reported that pilaf was consumed in theByzantine Empireand in theRepublic of Venice.
The earliest documented recipe for pilaf comes from the tenth-centuryPersianscholarAvicenna(Ibn Sīnā), who in his books on medical sciences dedicated a whole section to preparing various dishes, including several types of pilaf. In doing so, he described the advantages and disadvantages of every item used for preparing the dish. Accordingly, Persians consider Ibn Sina to be the "father" of modern pilaf.Thirteenth-century Arab texts describe the consistency of pilaf that the grains should be plump and somewhat firm to resemble peppercorns with no mushiness, and each grain should be separate with no clumping.
Another primary source for pilaf dishes comes from the 17th-century Iranian philosopherMolla Sadra.
Pilau became standard fare in theMiddle EastandTranscaucasiaover the years with variations and innovations by the Persians,Arabs,Turks, andArmenians.
During the period of theSoviet Union, the Central Asian versions of the dish spread throughout all Soviet republics, becoming a part of the commonSoviet cuisine.
Some cooks prefer to usebasmatirice because it is easier to prepare a pilaf where the grains stay "light, fluffy and separate" with this type of rice. However, other types of long-grain rice are also used. The rice is rinsed thoroughly before use to remove the surface starch. Pilaf can be cooked in water or stock. Common additions include fried onions and fragrant spices likecardamom,bay leavesandcinnamon.
Pilaf is usually made with meat or vegetables, but it can also be made plain which is calledsade pilavinTurkish,cheloinPersianandruzz mufalfalinArabic.On special occasionssaffronmay be used to give the rice a yellow color. Pilaf is often made by adding the rice to hot fat and stirring briefly before adding the cooking liquid. The fat used varies from recipe to recipe. Cooking methods vary with respect to details such as pre-soaking the rice and steaming after boiling.
There are thousands of variations of pilaf made with rice or other grains likebulgur.In Central Asia there areplov,pulaoon the Indian subcontinent, and variations fromTurkmenistanandTurkey. Some include different combinations of meats, fruits or vegetables, while others are simple and served plain.Central Asian,South Asian cuisine, Turkish cuisine,IranianandCaribbean cuisineare some with distinctive styles of making pilaf.
InAfghan cuisine,Kabuli palaw(Persian : کابلی پلو) is made by cookingbasmatiwith mutton, lamb, beef or chicken, and oil. Kabuli palaw is cooked in large shallow and thick dishes. Fried slicedcarrotsandraisinsare added. Chopped nuts likepistachios,walnuts, oralmondsmay be added as well. The meat is covered by the rice or buried in the middle of the dish. Kabuli palaw rice with carrots and raisins is very popular inSaudi Arabia, where it is known asroz Bukhari(Arabic: رز بخاري), meaning 'Bukharanrice'.
InAlbanian cuisine, pilaf is a very common dish.It is typically accompanied by yogurt and eaten with bean stew, meat soup or baked meats such as chicken and lamb. Medium-long grain rice is used, and it is cooked plainly with butter, resulting in a soft yet non-sticky texture.
There are various rice dishes in Albania, which are all commonly referred to as pilaf.
Albania ranks among the top three countries in Europe for rice consumption.
Armenians use a lot ofbulgur("cracked wheat") in their pilaf dishes.Armenian recipes may combinevermicelliororzowith rice cooked in stock seasoned with mint, parsley and allspice.One traditional Armenian pilaf is made with the same noodle rice mixture cooked in stock withraisins,almondsand allspice.
Armenian kinds of rice are discussed by Rose Baboian in her cookbook from 1964 which includes recipes for different pilafs, most rooted in her birthplace ofAntepin Turkey.Baboian recommends that the noodles be stir-fried first in chicken fat before being added to the pilaf. Another Armenian cookbook written by Vağinag Pürad recommends to render poultry fat in the oven with red pepper until the fat mixture turns a red color before using the strained fat to prepare pilaf.
Lapais an Armenian word with several meanings one of which is a "watery boiled rice, thick rice soup, mush" andlepewhich refers to various rice dishes differing by region.Antranig Azhderian describes Armenian pilaf as a "dish resembling porridge".
Azerbaijani cuisine includes more than 40 different plov recipes.One of the most reputed dishes is plov from saffron-covered rice, served with various herbs and greens, a combination distinctive from Uzbek plovs. Traditional Azerbaijani plov consists of three distinct components, served simultaneously but on separate platters: rice (warm, never hot),gara(fried beef or chicken pieces with onion, chestnut and dried fruits prepared as an accompaniment to rice), and aromatic herbs. Gara is put on the rice when eating plov, but it is never mixed with rice and the other components. Pilaf is usually called aş in Azerbaijani cuisine.
InBangladesh,pulao(পোলাও),fulao, orholao, is a popular ceremonial dish cooked only with aromatic rice. Bangladesh cultivates many varieties of aromatic rice which can be found only in this country and some surrounding Indian states with predominantly Bengali populations. Historically, there were many varieties of aromatic rice. These included short grained rice with buttery and other fragrances depending on the variety. Over a long span of time many recipes were lost and then reinvented.
Since the 1970s in Bangladeshpulaohas referred to aromatic rice (বাসন্তী পোলাও)"Bashonti polao", first fried either in oil or clarified butter with onions, fresh ginger and whole aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and more depending on each household and region. This is then cooked in stock or water, first boiled and then steamed. It is finished off with a bit more clarified butter, and fragrant essences such as rose water or kewra water. For presentation, beresta (fried onions) are sprinkled on top. Chickenpulao, (morog pulao), is a traditional ceremonial dish among the Bangladeshi Muslim community. There are several different types ofmorog pulaofound only in particular regions or communities.
In Sylhet and Chittagong, a popular ceremonial dish calledakhnipulao.Aqnibeing the rich stock in which mutton is cooked and then used to cook the rice. Another very spicybiryanidish very popular and unique to Bangladesh is calledtehari. It is very different in taste to theteharisfound in some parts of neighboring India. They are most popularly eaten with beef andchevon(goat meat) but are also paired with chicken.Young small potatoes, mustard oil (which is alternated with clarified butter or oil depending on individual taste), and a unique spice blend found inteharisdistinguish them from other meatpulaos. The most famoustehariin the capital city ofDhakais calledHajir biryani. Although here the namebiryaniis a misnomer, in usage among the urban young population it differentiates the popular dish muttonbiryanis(goat meat).
A significantly modified version of the recipe, often seen as influenced by what is calledarroz pilauthere, is known inBrazilasarroz de frango desfiadoorrisoto de frango(Portuguese:[ɐˈʁozdʒiˈfɾɐ̃ɡudʒisfiˈadu], "shredded chicken rice";[ʁiˈzotu], "chickenrisotto"). Rice lightlyfried(and optionally seasoned), salted and cooked until soft (but neither soupy nor sticky) in either water or chicken stock is added to chicken stock, onions and sometimes cubed bell peppers (cooked in the stock), shredded chicken breast, green peas, tomato sauce,shoyu, and optionally vegetables (e.g. canned sweet corn, cooked carrot cubes, courgette cubes,broccoliniflowers, chopped broccoli or broccolini stalks or leaves fried in garlic seasoning) or herbs (e.g., mint, like incanja) to form a distantlyrisotto-like dish – but it is generally fluffy (depending on the texture of the rice being added), as generally, once all ingredients are mixed, it is not left to cook longer than five minutes. In the case shredded chicken breast is not added, with the rice being instead served alongside chicken andsauce suprême, it is known asarroz suprême de frango(Portuguese:[ɐˈʁossuˈpɾẽm(i)dʒiˈfɾɐ̃ɡu], "chickensupremerice").
In theEastern Caribbeanand other Caribbean territories there are variations ofpelauwhich include a wide range of ingredients such aspigeon peas,green peas,green beans, corn, carrots, pumpkin, and meat such as beef or chicken, or cured pig tail.  The seasoned meat is usually cooked in a stew, with the rice and other vegetables added afterwards. Coconut milk and spices are also key additions in some islands.
Trinidadis recognized for itspelau, a layered rice with meats and vegetables. It is a mix of traditionalAfrican cuisineand "New World" ingredients likeketchup. The process of browning the meat (usually chicken, but also stew beef or lamb) insugaris an African technique.
InTobago,pelauis commonly made withcrab.
Central Asian, e.g.Uzbek,KyrgyzandTajik(Uzbek:Osh, Palov,Kyrgyz:Аш, палоо,Tajik:Палов) Kazakh, Turkmen, Karakalpak (Kazakh:Палау, Palaw) oroshdiffers from other preparations in that rice is not steamed, but insteadsimmeredin a richstewof meat and vegetables calledzirvak(зирвак), until all the liquid is absorbed into the rice. A limited degree of steaming is commonly achieved by covering the pot. It is usually cooked in akazon(ordeghi) over an open fire. The cooking tradition includes many regional and occasional variations.Commonly, it is prepared withlamborbeef, browned in lamb fat or oil, and then stewed with friedonions,garlicand carrots.Chickenpalov is rare but found in traditional recipes originating inBukhara. Some regional varieties use distinct types of oil to cook the meat. For example,Samarkand-style plov commonly useszig'iroil, a mix of melon seed,cottonseed,sesame seed, andflaxseedoils. Plov is usually simply spiced with salt,peppercorns, andcumin, butcoriander,barberries,red pepper, ormarigoldmay be added according to regional variation or the chef's preference. Heads of garlic and chickpeas are sometimes buried into the rice during cooking. Sweet variations with driedapricots,cranberriesand raisins are prepared on special occasions.
Although often prepared at home, plov is made on special occasions by anoshpazorashpoz(osh/ash master chef), who cooks it over an open flame, sometimes serving up to 1,000 people from a single cauldron on holidays or occasions such as weddings.Oshi nahor, or "morning palov", is served in the early morning (between 6 and 9 am) to large gatherings of guests, typically as part of an ongoing wedding celebration.
Uzbek-style plov is found in the post-Sovietcountries andXinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regionof China. In Xinjiang, where the dish is known as polu, it is often served with pickled vegetables, including carrots, onion and tomato.
InGreek cuisine,piláfi(πιλάφι) is fluffy and soft, but neither soupy nor sticky, rice that has been boiled in a meat stock orbouillon broth. In Northern Greece, it is considered improper to preparepiláfion a stovetop; the pot is properly placed in the oven.Gamopílafo("wedding pilaf") is the prized pilaf served traditionally at weddings and major celebrations inCrete: rice is boiled in lamb or goat broth, then finished withlemonjuice. Although it bears the name,Gamopílafois not a pilaf but rather a kind ofrisotto, with a creamy and not fluffy texture.
Pulaois usually a mixture of eitherlentilsor vegetables, mainly includingpeas,potatoes,green beans, carrots or meat, mainly chicken, fish, lamb, goat, pork or prawn with rice. A typicalBengalistyle pulao is prepared using vegetarian ingredients likeLong grain riceoraromatic rice,cashewnut,raisin,saffron,gheeand various spices likenutmeg,bay leaf,cinnamon,cardamom,cumin,cloveandmace. There are also a few very elaboratepulaoswith Persian names likehazar pasand("a thousand delights").It is usually served on special occasions and weddings, though it is not uncommon to eat it for a regular lunch or dinner meal. It is considered very high infood energyandfat. A pulao is often complemented with either spiced yogurt orraita.
Persianculinary terms referring toricepreparation are numerous and have found their way into the neighbouring languages:polow(rice cooked in broth while the grains remain separate, straining the half cooked rice before adding the broth and then "brewing"),chelow(white rice with separate grains),kateh(sticky rice) andtahchin(slow cooked rice, vegetables, and meat cooked in a specially designed dish). There are also varieties of different rice dishes with vegetables and herbs which are very popular among Iranians.
There are four primary methods of cooking rice in Iran:
InPakistan,pulao(پلاؤ), also romanized aspulāv,is a popular dish made with fragrantbasmatirice cooked in a seasoned meat or bone broth. Typically non-spicy, it features tender pieces of meat, such as chicken, lamb, or beef, though vegetarian variations are also popular. As with Afghan cuisine,Kabuli pulavis a staple dish in Pakistan, especially in the western regions. This variation of pulav is often adorned with sliced carrots, almonds, and raisins fried in a sweet syrup, adding a unique touch of sweetness and texture to the dish.Bannu Beef Pulao, also known as Bannu Gosht Pulao, is a traditional and popular variation of pulav recipe hailing from theBannu districtof theKhyber Pakhtunkhwaprovince inPakistan. The dish is made with beef, basmati rice, and a blend of local spices, resulting in a flavor profile characteristic of the region. The beef is first cooked in a separate preparation known asBeef Yakhni, made using a combination of salt, ginger, garlic, onions, and garam masala. This broth enhances the flavor and ensures the meat is tender. The rice is then combined with the cooked beef, allowing the flavors to meld together. This delicacy is often served during special occasions and family dinners and is astapleof thePashtunculinary tradition.
Pulao is popular in all parts of Pakistan, but the cooking style can vary slightly in other parts of the country. It is prepared bySindhi peopleof Pakistan in their marriage ceremonies, condolence meetings, and other occasions.
Romanian stylepilafis often more watery in consistency, more akin tocongee, and uses chicken breast meat along with chopped red peppers, onion, and carrot.
Traditional Levantine cooking includes a variety of Pilaf known as "Maqlubeh", known across the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean. The rice pilaf which is traditionally cooked with meats, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, and cauliflower also has a fish variety known as "Sayyadiyeh", or the Fishermen's Dish.
Historically, mutton stock was the most common cooking liquid for Turkish pilafs.
Turkish cuisine contains many different pilaf types. Some of these variations arepirinç(rice) pilaf,bulgurpilaf, andarpa şehriye(orzo) pilaf. Using mainly these three types, Turkish people make many dishes such asperdeli pilav, andetli pilav(rice cooked with cubed beef). Unlike Chinese rice, if Turkish rice is sticky, it is considered unsuccessful. To make the best rice according to Turkish people, one must rinse the rice, cook in butter, then add the water and let it sit until it soaks all the water. This results in a pilaf that is not sticky and every single rice grain falls off of the spoon separately.
Lithuanian pilaf is often referred to asplovas. It tends to consist of rice and vegetables; depending on the region the vegetables can be tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, and/or mushrooms. It often contains chicken pieces or cut-up pieces of pork, usually the meat around the neck or the stomach; seasonings can be heavy or light, and someplovasmight be made with rice that is very soft, unlike other variants.
Latvian pilaf is often referred to asplovsorplov. It tends to contain the same ingredients as the Lithuanianplovasand can vary from county to county.
The Greek OrthodoxPontianminority had their own methods of preparing pilav.Pontians along the Black Sea coast might make pilav with anchovies (calledhapsipilavon) or mussels (calledmythopilavon).Other varieties of Pontian pilav could include chicken,lamb, and vegetables. Typical seasonings are anise, dill, parsley, salt, pepper, and saffron. Some Pontians cooked pine nuts, peanuts, or almonds into their pilav. While pilav was usually made from rice, it could also be made with buckwheat.
TraditionalCrimean Tatar pilyav(pilâv) is prepared from rice; meat, onions, or raisins can be added.