Broccoli Cashew Rice Pilaf

Anu's Note:

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and adapted it to include my favourite veggie, broccoli! You can also make this with asparagus. Butter lends a fantastic flavour to the recipe, so preferably, don't substitute it with any else. Although I've tried this only with water, using vegetable broth would add even more zing!

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• ¼ cup butter (Don't substitute)
• 2 ounces uncooked spaghetti , broken
• ¼ cup onion , minced
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 ¼ cups uncooked basmati rice or 1 ¼ cups long-grain rice or 1 ¼ cups jasmine rice
• 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth or 2 ¼ cups water (I use water)
• salt and pepper
• ½ lb broccoli floret
• ½ cup cashews , halves, roasted

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Increase heat to medium, and stir in spaghetti, cooking until coated with the melted butter and lightly browned.
3. Stir onion and garlic into the saucepan, and cook about 2 minutes, until tender.
4. Stir in rice, and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Pour in vegetable broth and season mixture with salt and pepper.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and cook 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.
7. While the rice is cooking, place broccoli in a separate medium saucepan with enough water to cover.
8. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender but firm; drain excess water.
9. Mix broccoli and cashew halves into the rice mixture, and serve warm.

Reviews

[Home Chef Mariann]

I used low sodium chicken broth, and it was very good. It may have taken over the dish too much, though, so I will add a bit less chicken broth and more garlic next time. Also, the rice always seems to take longer to cook completely. I had to add water about 10 minutes into it because the liquid was all gone and the rice and spaghetti were sticking. Watch out for that, cooks, because if you don't catch it, your dish will be ruined! My family wants me to make this one again.

[Bev]

This is an incredible rice dish!! I will definitely be making this one again and again. I made as directed, using 1 can of vegetable broth then filling the remainder of the 2 1/4 cups with water. I cooked the rice until tender, then instead of cooking the broccoli separately, I placed the frozen florets on top of the rice and allowed it to steam until done. It worked perfectly and was very simple. I love this and I thank you for posting, Anu!

[Missy Wombat]

Excellent quick meal which is extremely toddler friendly :-D and which was polished off by 2 adults and a 2 1/2 year old. You could add lots of different vegetables to this. I used vegetable stock and the butter is imporan for the taste.