İç Pilav

Fragrant Turkish iç pilav with rice, pine nuts, currants, warm spices and herbs cooked until fluffy.

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İç pilav is a celebratory rice pilaf often used as a stuffing or served alongside roast meats. Sweet currants and warm spices give it its distinctive character.

Ingredients

• 350 g basmati or baldo rice (rinsed and soaked 20 minutes)
• 50 g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 40 g pine nuts
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 50 g dried currants (soaked 10 minutes and drained)
• 600 ml hot vegetable stock
• 0.5 tsp ground allspice
• 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp fine salt (or to taste)
• 3 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Step-by-step method

1. Drain the soaked rice very well. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the pine nuts and cook for 2–3 minutes until golden, stirring constantly. Remove half for garnish if desired.
3. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent.
4. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes, coating every grain in the butter.
5. Add the currants, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, salt and hot stock. Bring to a boil.
6. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12–15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
7. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Then fluff gently with a fork and fold in the dill and parsley.
8. Taste for salt and serve warm, topped with the reserved pine nuts.