I learned how to make this from my Turkish friends back in my university days. I would have never thought of mixing rice with pasta but it makes rice so much tastier and interesting! Making it this way gives it a nutty flavour and is a perfect accompaniment to any dish to be served with rice.
It is also very typical of Lebanese cuisine where it is also served with toasted pine nuts, also served in Syria and I have read that this rice pilaf is the most served dish in the Middle east! Once you make it it is very easy to see why. It is so simple and tasty, the perfect accompaniment to any dish, Middle Eastern or otherwise. Variations of this use different oils such as olive oil or butter (or a mixture!). The choice is yours, I like to use sunflower oil though because it has a more neutral flavour.
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Pin recipe Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 cups of water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 50 g vermicelli rice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 cups of water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 oz vermicelli rice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wash the long grain rice in a sieve under the tap until the water runs clear.
- Warm the sunflower oil on a medium to high heat. Add the vermicelli noodles, stir and toast in the hot oil until start to go golden brown and then light brown. Do not take your eye off them or they will quickly burn.
- At that point add the rice and 2 cups (or just under) from a recently boiled kettle. Add a generous pinch of salt.
- Cover and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Very important – do not open the lid until the end!
Notes
You can add toasted pine nuts for moe flavour, or use butter instead of sunflower oil (if not making this vegan).
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