Lebanese Restaurant Rice Pilaf
It took me three tries, but I finally nailed a restaurant-style Lebanese rice pilaf. Nothing I tried online came close to this. I guess the secret is the right kind of rice, the correct rice-to-water ratio, and of course, plenty of butter and oil! Find a good Lebanese yogurt marinade, grill some meats, and get a hold of some hummus. If you're from southeast Michigan or anywhere else with a large Middle Eastern population, you will feel like you're eating at your favorite place. Trust me.
Ingredients
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3 cups parboiled long-grain white rice
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½ cup butter, divided
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4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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½ cup orzo pasta
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4 cups water
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1 tablespoon salt
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1 tablespoon slivered almonds, or to taste
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1 tablespoon tahini
Description
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Fill a large bowl with water. Add rice and let soak for 10 minutes; drain and rinse until water runs clear.
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Heat 1/4 cup butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir orzo in hot butter-oil mixture until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add drained rice and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir orzo-rice mixture until rice is coated in butter-oil mixture and starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
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Pour 4 cups water over rice mixture and add salt; stir and bring to a boil. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is fluffy and tender yet firm, about 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat; cook and stir almonds until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup butter and tahini until almonds are evenly coated.
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Mix almond mixture into rice mixture.
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