Rice pilaf with prunes and walnuts

Rice pilaf with prunes and walnuts. A covered-pot rice pilaf with separate grains and a short covered rest. This home adaptation uses olive oil and serves four as a generous side dish.

This recipe has not been kitchen-tested.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 45 min · Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 100 g — pitted prunes
• 60 g — walnuts, chopped
• 250 g — dry long-grain rice, rinsed
• 100 g — onion
• 30 ml — olive oil
• 500 ml — water
• 4 g — salt

Method

1. Weigh all ingredients, wash produce and prepare clean equipment before starting. Keep raw meat and eggs separate from ready-to-eat food.
2. Wash produce. Cut firm vegetables into 1 cm pieces, shred cabbage and grate carrots or pumpkin for fillings. Chop herbs separately. Drain and rinse canned pulses; use already-cooked wheat, lentils, potatoes and beetroot where specified.
3. Soften the onion in oil for 5 minutes in a heavy pot. Add diced vegetables, garlic, any tomato paste and spices. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring; add leafy greens for the last 2 minutes. Keep canned or cooked pulses aside until the grain is nearly cooked.
4. Add rinsed rice, salt and the measured water. Bring to a boil; cover and cook on low for 18–22 minutes until the rice is tender. Add cooked pulses in the final 5 minutes. If still firm and dry, add 30 ml hot water and cook 3–5 minutes more. Rest covered off the heat for 10 minutes, then fluff.
5. Fold in the listed fresh herbs, chopped nuts and any dried fruit not already added. Taste before adding extra salt. Divide into four portions.
6. Serve promptly. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers at 4°C or below within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C); use within 3 days. Reheat cooked leftovers to 74°C.

Allergen notes

• Tree nuts
• Check product labels and shared-equipment cross-contact; allergen information is not exhaustive.

Cook’s notes

• An untested editorial home adaptation, not a kitchen-tested formula. Cooking times are estimates: check tenderness and your grain package instructions; add hot water gradually when needed.