Syrian White Rice Recipes

MUJADARA: LENTILS AND RICE WITH CRISPY ONIONS

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups of the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the lentils are par-boiled (10-12 minutes). Remove from the heat, drain the lentils and set them aside.
• In a large saute pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until the onions are dark golden brown, darker than typical caramelized onions (about 40 minutes), sprinkle the onions with a teaspoon of salt as they cook.
• Carefully pour the remaining 2 cups of water, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir the rice and par-cooked lentils into the onion mixture. Add a good dash of kosher salt, black pepper, and the cumin.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice and lentils are both cooked through (about 15 to 20 minutes).
• If you are adding the the fried onions, work on them while the rice and lentils are cooking. In a large skillet, heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When a small piece of onion bubbles vigorously, the oil is ready. Fry the onions in batches until they are crispy and deeply golden brown. Transfer the crispy onion rings to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of excess oil.
• Let the rice and lentils rest covered for about 10 minutes undisturbed, then garnish with parsley and transfer to serving bowls. Top each bowl with the crispy onion rings.

SYRIAN RICE WITH MEAT

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and mix in salt, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper. Cook until beef is browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and rice to the saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Mix pine nuts into rice and meat mixture before serving.

SYRIAN RICE

Steps:

• Wash the rice in strainer.
• Soak rice for 15 minutes in hot water.
• Put butter in pan, melt, and then brown Spaghetti pieces or Orzo using a medium heat.
• Be careful not to burn the butter.
• Now drain your rice that is soaking and add it to the butter/ Spaghetti (or Orzo) in your pan.
• Saute the rice for approximately 5 minutes with medium heat stirring frequently to avoid burning the rice.
• You want a nice light brown color.
• After rice is browned, add 4 Cups Hot Water and Salt.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• You want it to boil briskly for about 5 minutes.
• Turn heat to LOW and cook until all the water is absorbed.
• This should take about 15 minutes with Very Low heat.
• You might want to stir once or twice to make sure it is not burning.
• Uncover when you are ready to serve and make sure to stir it again at this point.

SYRIAN-STYLE SHAKRIYA WITH RICE

Steps:

• Boil meat in a stock pot until fork tender in broth or whatever seasings you usually use. Boiling time will vary depending on type of meat used and cut of meat chosen. Obviously, chicken will not take as long as beef or lamb. This step may take up to 3 hours.
• Get an 8 QT non-stick pot ready. In a blender, blend one container of yogurt, one tablespoon of corn starch, 1/2 cup of milk and one egg until well blended. Pour into waiting pot.
• Repeat with second container of yogurt.
• Place 8 QT pot on medium heat and stir continually until thickened. DO NOT LET IT BOIL! During this time, add the buillon cube, but crush it first to make sure it dissolves faster. You will know it is done when it is really starting to stick to the sides of the pan and coats a spoon. This step should be about 15 minutes.
• Salt the yogurt sauce to taste, but be careful not to cover its natural sourness. That is the heart of the dish. If you feel it may be a tad too thick, add some water, 1/4 cup at a time. This also helps if you have added too much salt. Add the meat to the yogurt sauce at this time.
• In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat it just enough to melt the butter. Add the vermicelli and stir. Turn up heat so the vermicelli begins to "fry" and turn a golden-brown color. Remove from heat if it burns or gets too dark brown. This step should be about 5 minutes.
• Drain the white rice thoroughly and add it to the browned vermicelli, mixing them together well. Follow the cooking directions on the bag of rice from this point out. Salt to taste. This step should be about 30 minutes.
• To serve, place a generous helping of rice to one side of a shallow bowl and fill the other half of the bowl with the yogurt sauce and meat.

SYRIAN WHITE RICE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions just turn golden (do not let them brown), about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of cold water and salt and bring to a boil.
• Add the rice, stir and cook, uncovered, until the water is level with the rice, about 10 minutes. Cover the pot, adjust the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil just begins to bubble, add the pine nuts and cook until the nuts are golden brown. Immediately drain them, discard the oil and set them aside.
• When the rice is done, scatter the pine nuts over the top. Serve the rice with lahmeh fil mehleh.

SAYADIEH

Steps:

• In a large deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat and fry the chopped onions until lightly golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
• Rinse the rice, then transfer to the pot of onions. Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon and ginger. Toss well to combine and toast the rice lightly with the spices, about 5 minutes.
• Add 4 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the rice to rest in the pot for about 5 minutes, without opening the lid, to absorb all the liquid and steam.
• While the rice is cooking, season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Fry on a skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, working in two batches to avoid over-crowding the skillet.
• Serve the cooked fish broken up in chunks or whole on top of the rice mixture. Add toasted almond and parsley on top.