11.09.2012

Faith's Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts (ROZ MLOW’WAN)


You're going to have fun here today! So many super links for you to check out, each containing a fabulous recipe. Why? Well, sweet blogging friend Faith Gorsky from An Edible Mosaic just had her first cookbook released: An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair. I’m excited to be participating in her virtual book launch party and sharing a recipe from her wonderful book. Congratulations, Faith! 
Be sure to visit her blog....she's got some amazing giveaways!



A little background on the book along with Faith's story: 
The book has over 100 Middle Eastern recipes, with a focus mainly on dishes from the Levant, but also a few recipes from other areas of the Middle East. Faith has a pretty unique story…after getting married Faith spent six months living in the Middle East, where she fell in love with the culture and cuisine. Subsequently, she returned four more times for visits, each time delving deeper into the cuisine and deepening her passion for and appreciation of the region. Recipes in her book are authentic Middle Eastern (taught to Faith mostly by her mother-in-law, Sahar), but streamlined just a bit for the way we cook today, with unique ingredients demystified and cooking techniques anyone can follow. If you didn’t grow up eating Middle Eastern food, it can be a difficult art to master; Faith understands that, and explains complicated dishes in an approachable, easy-to-follow way. The book is available to order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!
After you check out the recipe below, please head over to Faith’s blog to check out her
virtual book launch party to see the other bloggers who are participating. Also, as part of her virtual book launch, Faith is hosting a giveaway of a fabulous set of prizes. Be sure to head over and enter!

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Faith asked me to make her Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts and below that you'll find her variation for Mixed White and Yellow Rice. The recipe is actually vegan so you won’t have any trouble incorporating it into a vegan or vegetarian meal, but it is just as delicious served with chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood, and it would be really fantastic with just about any curry dish. (In the cookbook, Faith recommends pairing Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce with this rice dish.  I served it with Sophie Dahl's easy Curried Chicken, which I make often. Both recipes take about 20 minutes, so the timing was perfect. (For Sophie's curry recipe, click HERE.)
My rice did not turn out as yellow as Faith's, probably because I used saffron threads and didn't have enough, but the flavor was there. I may try tumeric next time just to see the difference. But I did use the cinnamon stick and cloves as Faith suggested. I'll be making this often. Delicious!

Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts
(ROZ MLOW’WAN)
Recipe courtesy of An Edible Mosaic:  Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair by Faith Gorsky (Tuttle Publishing; Nov. 2012); reprinted with permission

Serves 4 to 6 
Preparation Time: 10 minutes 
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking

1½ cups (325 g) basmati rice, rinsed 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
3 tablespoons pine nuts 
1 onion, finely diced 
4 tablespoons sultanas (golden raisins) 
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water 
¾ teaspoon salt 
½ teaspoon saffron threads (or ½ teaspoon turmeric)

1. Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sultanas, boiling water, salt, and saffron (or turmeric), turn the heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil.
4. Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5.Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top; serve.

OPTIONAL Add two pods of cardamom, two whole cloves, and one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon stick at the same time that you add the rice. 

VARIATION 
Mixed White and Yellow Rice

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes 
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking

1½ cups (325 g) uncooked basmati rice, rinsed 
2 tablespoons oil 
1 onion, finely diced 
1 bay leaf 
2 whole cloves 
2 pods cardamom, cracked open 
2 whole peppercorns 
¾ teaspoon salt 
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water 
1-2 pinches saffron threads or ½ teaspoon turmeric dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

1. Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan, cover and place over moderately high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Add the rice, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and salt, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the boiling water to the rice, turn heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil. Give it a stir, cover the pot, turn heat down to very low, and cook 10 minutes (don’t open the lid during this time). 
4. After the rice is cooked, let the pot sit with the lid on for 15 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer 1/3 of the rice to a separate bowl.
5. Stir the saffron or turmeric-colored water into 1/3 of the rice (the rice will turn yellow). Mix together the yellow rice and white rice; serve.

24 comments:

  1. I love this book! Those are two wonderful rice dishes. Basmati rice tastes so good.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. HI Barbara--I love the variations. I need to purchase some saffron so that I can make it this way.

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  3. What good timing! A small jar of safinter saffron arrived in yesterday's mail and now Faith's lovely recipe. I'm heading over to check out her blog and her book. Thanks for the introduction.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  4. Basmati is indeed my favorite:)The book sounds very interesting..I ave but one ME book.

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  5. Beautiful Barbara---my husband and I really enjoyed the rice last night, we had it with chicken, too.

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  6. Hey there! I'm new to your site and wanted to send you warm regards for helping Faith with her cookbook launch. I enjoyed the rice a lot and will definitely be making it time and again. Happy to have found ya! ;)

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  7. Your rice looks lovely, and the cookbook sounds amazing. I'll look for it!

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  8. I love pine nuts but have never cooked with them, so this is a great place to start!

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  9. Hi Barbara ~ so nice to meet you through Faith's book launch. That rice one amazing rice recipe, no? I've made it several times already...
    LL

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  10. Hi Barbara! Faith's book sounds like a great one.The rice recipe also sounds like it has it all too. Golden raisins and pine nuts...heaven!

    I hope you are well and that you have a great weekend. It snowed today and somehow it always makes me want to bake something really, really fattening : )
    hugs from here...

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  11. What fun! The rice looks delicious, and what a great way to celebrate the publication of Faith's book!

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  12. Hi Barbara,

    Thank you for sharing Faiths book and will go and visit her blog.
    Last week we were watching a very interesting documentary on saffron. You know why it is expensive, the labour intensive task that goes into harvesting it.

    Happy weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  13. I have heard much good of Faith's book and her recipes are inspiring :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  14. You version of Faiths rice looks great. It certainly was an easy recipe to cook and I have made it a few times now myself.

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  15. I love Faith and I adore her cookbook! Great review!!

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  16. I used to make saffron rice a lot when our girls lived at home! I love the flavor of saffron and the addition of the pine nuts and golden raisins sounds delicious.

    Congratulations to Faith on her cookbook!

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  17. I can't thank you enough for participating in something that means so much to me. It truly was an honor to have you...and I'm so happy you enjoyed the rice!!

    I hope the move is going well, my friend!

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  18. What a great & tasty cookbook!

    These 2 recipes are so fragrant & amazing too!

    Lovely flavours in these 2 fab recipes! :) MMMMMM!

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  19. lovely recreation, barbara! best of luck with the big move!

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  20. Congratulations on your new cookbook Faith Gorsky! It's awesomely good looking presentation.

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  21. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  22. Faith made an excellent job with this book! I wish you an easy going movement Barbara!

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  23. Love this posting. Saffron is one of my favorite ingredients .

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