Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Recipe

Turkish Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı)

         Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Recipe

        Rice is a very common and popular food all around the world. We don't think so, anyone who doesn't like the "Rice Dish" all around the world. Do you think that anyone who doesn't like "Rice Dish"? We are sure that you agree with us. Yes, most of the people of world like rice dish and consumed it very much. When we were children, like todays children, we were look forward to rice dish in lunch or dinner's table very much. 

         Actually, every food/dish is unique for the humanbeings. But, maybe some foods are more special and unique than the others. Maybe, one of them is a "Rice Dish". Especially, in Turkey,  rice dish "Pilaf" (We call it in Turkish: Pilav) very very common and popular dish among the people. Through out the Anatolia, you can find "Rice dish/Pilaf (Pirinç Pilavı)" very easily.  

Turkish Famous "Baldo Pirinç" makes tasty Rice Dish

         Turkish people cook "Rice Dish" very often in their homes. Further more, when you go to a restaurant or lokanta (lokanta is a type öf Turkish restaurant, but maybe smaller than the restaurants). You can find "Rice Dish (Pirinç Pilavı)" very easily. For example: if you go to a restaurant or  lokanta, which ever meal you choose from the bain Marie, it is highly likely that you will be asked whether you would like a side serving of Rice/Pilaf (Pirinç Pilavı) dish to go with it. Generally, rice is never on the same plate with other meals; and Rice dish/pilaf (Pirinç Pilavı) is a dish in itself and is served separately. On the other hand, sonetimes, people prefer their "White Beans Dish" or "Garbanzo Beans Dish" over the Rice dish/pilaf (Pirinç Pilavı) on the same plate. There are different types of rice meals in the Anatolian Cuisine and our pilaf recipes are very famous. Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish, Rice/Pilaf with Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans (Nohutlu pilav) Dish, Cracked wheat Pilaf (Bulgur pilavı) Dish, Tavern Style Rice Pilaf (Meyhane pilavı) Dish are very common, very popular and very delicious. Also, our Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo or Vermicelli (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish and Cracked wheat Pilaf (Bulgur pilavı) Dish are very fantastic side dish for any meat. You may like our Steak-and-potatoes-one-pot-recipe ,  Oven-baked-lamb-chops-recipe ,  Beef-or-mutton-kavurma-recipe ,  Turkish-shish-kabab-recipe ,  Turkish-chicken-shish-kabab-recipe .

Turkish Rice pilaf Dish is a very fantastic side dish for any meat

         How to Make Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish?

         In this post, we are going to share our "Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish Recipe" to you. But, why we call this dish "Turkish Style Rice Dish" "Unique Turkish Rice Dish"? Firstly, lets try to get an answer of "Why we call this rice dish Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish". Because, all ingredients of this rice dish (Turkish rice,  orzo/vercimelli, butter etc), its flavour, and cooking style of this dish are very unique. This dish is really very special and very unique for us. That's Why we love this dish a d why it is so unique for us. Also, we recommend that you try our Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish Recipe in your home and taste it with your family, relatives or friends. Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish is very easy to make and extremely good side dish for many meals (Such as meat meals, vegetable meals and legume family meals). It is really a classic food recipe from our Anatolian's Cuisine. Turkish rice or "Pilaf" with orzo/vermicelli (in Turkish: Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) dish, as shortly rice cooked in butter with orzo. And, it is really fluffy, buttery, creamy, rich and very yummy meal. Bye the way, let us, explain that what is "Orzo" or "Vermicelli"? Orzo (şehriye) and Vermicelli are type of pasta (or noodles). Some Turkish rice recipes will use Vermicelli, instead. Both of them are quiet common. And, when we cook Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish, we use both of them very much. You may like our Turkish-stuffed-eggplant-recipe ,  Chickpeas-with-beef-stew-recipe , Turkish-pickles-tursu-recipe .

Turkish Pilaf goes well with Garbanzo Beans Dish

Turkish Pilaf goes well with White Beans Dish

         What is Amazing Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish?

         Here, in central Anatolia, when we cook Turkish Rice Dish, we always use our famous "Baldo Pirinç". We love all types of rice and we cooked many of them in our kitchens. But, we think that right rice must go with the right meal. So that, "Baldo Rice (Baldo Pirinç) is Number:1, it is the best and tastiest among the others. Actually, there are different types of rice are grown in the Anatolia, but Baldo Rice (Baldo Pirinç) is the better one. Baldo Rice is bigger than the Italian Risotto rice and tastier than it.   

       Generally, many people cannot cook rice dishes properly, they mostly say that; "it sticks to bottom of the pan" or "it goes all soggy". Our method of cooking rice comes from our moms, grandmoms, maybe grand grandmoms. We should  Turkish rice pilaf (Pirinç Pilavı) is a dish. It is not steamed rice. It is a recipe mainly based on rice as an ingredient. 

Ingredients: Baldo Rice,  Orzo/vermicelli, butter and salt

         When we cook Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish ;

         - We always use Baldo rice (Baldo Pirinç) for the Rice Dish. So, try to get our Baldo rice (Baldo Pirinç), it is better than the Jasmine Rice, Basmati Rice and Italian Risotto Rice, our Baldo rice (Baldo Pirinç) makes your dish rich, flavorful and creamy,

        - We always rinse our rice throughly to get rid of all the Starch so the rice doesn't become sticky. We think that, this process is a traditional habit of Turkish People. Because, traditionally, our grandmoms, moms, relatives, many of our friends and neighbours rinse their rice throughly to get rid of all the Starch too. We also, soak our rice in warm water before cooking.   

        - When you are cooking "Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish", you should pay attention to cooking process of orzo or vermicelli. When you are sauteeing your Orzo, it's important that you keep a close eye on it, as, once orzo starts to brown, and it can suddenly burn very quickly and will ruin the flavour of your Rice/Pilaf dish. If you are using Vermicelli, situation is same. Like orzo, vermicelli can burn guickly. When It starts to brown, add your rice immediately after you notice the change in color and keep stirring.

         -  When your rice dish comes to adding water better to use boiled water. Because if you add normal water it will take too much time to cook and rice will stick to eachother and that is not a nice appearance for Turkish rice. We always use hot water, when we cook "Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish".

         - Sometimes, we use stock instead of hot water. It makes your dish very yummy. So, you can use stock instead of water if you have any stock. But, just make sure that you have skimmed the fat off. 

         - We think that the most important thing in the recipe of "Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı)" is the ratio of rice and water:  We generally use 1 Cup of rice  / 1,5 Cups  of water (please use the same Cup, not different). From our experience, we can say that even 2 Cups of water is too much. 

         - When you fry your orzo or vermicelli (Arpa şehriye/Tel şehriye) and rice in oil. If you want your meal (pilav) to be lighter you better use coconut oil or canola oil or pure vegetable oil. Olive oil will make it heavier. Actually, your rice and orzo are sautéing in fat of your choice (we prefer the butter, the butter will be the best taste. Just adjust the amount of butter. And use salty one). We always use salty butter for the Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish.

         Here it is our "Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish" Recipe;

         Very good family favourite;

       Serving: 4-5 servings, Preparation Time: 8-10 minutes, Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes, Cuisine: Mediterranean & Anatolian Cuisines, Food Type: 100% Vegetarian, 

         Ingredients:

        - 1 Cup of Rice (Nearly 250 gr Turkish Baldo Rice),

       - 2 or 3 Tablespoons Orzo/Vermicelli (in Turkish: We call orzo as Arpa Şehriye and call Vermicelli as Tel şehriye; This is like a thin pasta-or Macaroni/noodles),

       - 1 or 2 Tablespoons Salty Butter, (Salty Butter is better but if you want, you can find others),

        - 1 Tablespoon olive oil,-it is optional- (or coconut oil or canola oil or pure vegetable oil ), 

         - 1,5 Cups hot water (or if you want you can use stock cube),

Preparation of Turkish Pilaf

Rinse your rice in cold water to remove the starch

When pilaf cooked, leave it to stand with a tea-towel covering it 

         Preparation:

         First of all put your all ingredients of Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Recipe on the work-table. They are: Baldo Rice (Baldo Pirinç), Orzo or Vermicelli, Salty Butter and Salt to taste. Then, firstly, rinse your rice in cold water to remove the starch, then you need to soak the rice in hot water for around 30 minutes before cooking. After this process (30 minutes later), wash your rice again in cold water, the water should run clear. Then, drain it well. Then, heat your salty butter in a deep saucepan over a low heat. Then, add your orzo or vermicelli (şehriye) to the pan and stir around for a few minutes until you see it start to change colour (we sometimes, put a small amount of olive oil -or other oil- in the frying pan first and cook the orzo/vermicelli till colour changes. Then, we put our rice and butter in and stir it all together for about 2 minutes. But, it is up to you, it is optional). As soon as you notice that your orzo/vermicelli start to go brown, add your cup of rice and continue to stir. Don't forget to keep the pan over a low heat and keep stirring, otherwise your rice and orzo/vermicelli will burn. After 3-4 minutes, add the hot water or stock cube (whatever size cup you use for your rice, make sure you use the same for your water or stock cube). At that time, there will be a big sizzle and the liquid will bubble up. Then, turn up the heat and bring the rice to the boil. Once the your rice is boiling, give it a couple of stirs around, put a lid on the pan, leaving a small gap, and reduce the heat to medium - low. Then, leave your rice to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the water or stock has absorbed. Then, remove from the heat, put the lid firmly on the pan and leave your Turkish rice to stand with a tea-towel covering it (this process takes nearly 5-7 minutes). After 5-7 minutes, remove the lid and serve it warm.

        A good bowl of homemade yoghurt (natural yoghurt) goes well with this pilaf dish. Also, a bowl of Turkish Sepherd salad goes well with this pilaf dish too. You may like our  Homemade-yogurt-recipe  and  Turkish-shepherd-salad-recipe .

A good bowl of homemade yoghurt goes well with pilaf dish.

Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı Recipe

         ENJOY

         Please let us know how this "Turkish Style Rice/Pilaf with Orzo (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) Dish" turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you.

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