This super-simple Turkish Rice Pilav is so tasty! Buttery and packed with flavour it's a simple and super-effective little side dish that pairs with so many things.
In a saucepan, over a moderate heat, melt the butter until bubbling. Add the orzo and raw rice and stir fry for 1 minute to coat everything in butter. Season with salt & pepper then pour in the stock.
Heat until just boiling then, reduce the heat to low so that it’s just barely simmering. Put on a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes without stirring. All the stock should have evaporated. Check by making a deep hole to the bottom of the pan to see if it's dry. If not, cook until it is - don't stir the rice!.
When dry, make a few holes in the rice with a wooden spoon, then place a clean tea towel or a couple of paper towels over the pan and then return the lid. This will allow the rice to continue to steam/cool without any condensation dripping back into the pan and making everything stodgy.
Leave for 20 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve either warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Cooking tips for Turkish Pilav:
You can add extra flavours and textures to the pilav before cooking. I often add about ¼ cup of pistachio or pine nuts (I fry them at the same time as the rice and orzo) and sometimes I’ll add ¼ cup of sultanas or chopped dried apricots (I add the same time as the stock).
I’ll often sprinkle my pilaf with fresh herbs like mint, dill or parsley at the end, for a little extra fragrance.
If you can’t get hold of orzo, you can use a little thin spaghetti or vermicelli pasta snapped into small pieces (about ½ inch).