I'm making an appearance after a few weeks of absence to bring you a very special post today. My friend Faith Gorsky
from An Edible
Mosaic just had her first cookbook released, entitled An Edible Mosaic: Middle
Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair. I’m incredibly honored and excited to be participating in
her virtual
book launch party and sharing a recipe from the book!
The book has over 100 Middle Eastern
recipes, with a focus mainly on dishes from the Levant, but also a few recipes
from other areas of the Middle East. Faith has a pretty unique story…after
getting married, Faith spent six months living in the Middle East, where she
fell in love with the culture and cuisine. Subsequently, she returned four more
times for visits, each time delving deeper into the cuisine and deepening her
passion for and appreciation of the region. Recipes in her book are authentic
Middle Eastern (taught to Faith mostly by her mother-in-law, Sahar), but streamlined
just a bit for the way we cook today, with unique ingredients demystified and
cooking techniques anyone can follow. If you didn’t grow up eating Middle
Eastern food, it can be a difficult art to master; Faith understands that, and
explains complicated dishes in an approachable, easy-to-follow way. The
book is available to order now on Amazon and
Barnes
& Noble!
The recipe from the book that I’m sharing with you today is for Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts, along with a variation for Mixed White and Yellow Rice. I actually made my own version of this dish above using her suggested spices of cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, while substituting the pine nuts with almonds. It was very simple to prepare, yet was deliciously fragrant from the addition of the spices. The nuts and raisins also added a welcome texture and sweetness to the dish.
The recipe is vegan so you won’t have any
trouble incorporating it into a vegan or vegetarian meal, but it is just as
delicious served with chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood, and it would be really
fantastic with just about any curry dish. I decided to serve mine with a tasty Squash and Okra Curry and in the cookbook, Faith recommends
pairing this rice dish with Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce.
After you check out the recipe below, please head over to Faith’s blog to check out her virtual book launch party to see the other bloggers who are participating. Also, as part of her virtual book launch, Faith is hosting a giveaway of a fabulous set of prizes. Be sure to head over and enter!
Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine
Nuts, Pictured with Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce, from An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with
Extraordinary Flair.
Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts
ROZ MLOW’WAN
Recipe courtesy
of An
Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with
Extraordinary Flair by Faith Gorsky (Tuttle Publishing;
Nov. 2012); reprinted with permission.
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking
1½ cups (325 g) basmati rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 onion, finely diced
4 tablespoons sultanas (golden raisins)
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon saffron threads (or ½ teaspoon turmeric)
1.
Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice
is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2.
Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium
heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes,
stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
3.
Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, and cook
until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the
sultanas, boiling water, salt, and saffron (or turmeric), turn the heat up to
high, and bring it to a rolling boil.
4.
Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down
to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid
during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes,
then fluff with a fork.
5.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on
top; serve.
OPTIONAL Add
two pods of cardamom, two whole cloves, and one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon
stick at the same time that you add the rice.
Mixed White and Yellow Rice
VARIATION
Mixed White and Yellow Rice
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking
1½ cups (325 g) uncooked basmati rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
2 pods cardamom, cracked open
2 whole peppercorns
¾ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water
1-2 pinches saffron threads or ½ teaspoon turmeric dissolved in 1
tablespoon hot water
1.
Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice
is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2.
Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan, cover and
place over moderately high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until
softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.
Add the rice, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and
salt, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the
boiling water to the rice, turn heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling
boil. Give it a stir, cover the pot, turn heat down to very low, and cook 10
minutes (don’t open the lid during this time).
4.
After the rice is cooked, let the pot sit with the lid on for 15
minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer 1/3 of the rice to a separate
bowl.
5.
Stir the saffron or turmeric-colored water into 1/3 of the rice
(the rice will turn yellow). Mix together the yellow rice and white rice;
serve.
