Savory Texas-Style Rice Pilaf offers a burst of flavors, making it a delightful side dish to complement any main course.
Essential Ingredients
For this recipe, opt for long-grained white rice such as jasmine or basmati for its superior separation when cooked.
Seasonings like paprika, dried parsley, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes add depth and spice to the rice. Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to suit your preferred level of heat.
Chicken Stock: Prepare 5 cups of chicken stock for cooking the rice. While homemade stock is an excellent option, store-bought works just as well.
Rinsing the Rice
Begin by rinsing the rice thoroughly to achieve a consistent texture and remove any impurities. Proper rinsing removes excess starch, ensuring fluffy grains that don’t clump together. The water draining from the rice should be nearly clear, indicating it’s ready for cooking.
Cooking Instructions
After rinsing the rice, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the rice until it turns golden brown, approximately 5-7 minutes. Then, add the diced onion and seasonings, stirring to combine.
Pour in the chicken stock, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and allow the rice to simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until it’s tender with most of the liquid absorbed. The rice should still appear slightly moist. Avoid overcooking to prevent a mushy texture.
Preventing Rice Mishaps
To avoid mushy or dry rice, ensure proper cooking techniques. Overcooked rice may result from excessive cooking time or inadequate rinsing. Conversely, crunchy rice indicates undercooking, possibly due to high cooking temperatures or premature lid removal, causing steam loss. Additionally, insufficient liquid can lead to dry rice; in such cases, add a bit more liquid and continue cooking until desired consistency is achieved.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (115 g) butter
- 2 cups (390 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) paprika
- 1 tablespoon (4 g) dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) chicken stock
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add rice and sauté until golden brown, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in diced onion, paprika, parsley, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Pour in chicken stock, mix, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Serve immediately.
