Spiced Rice

Submitted by CaliforniaJan

"This rice is colorful and tasty and a little more special than an everyday side dish. It goes well with lamb, ham or pork."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups salt water, boiling
• 1 piece fresh ginger, 1-inch long, peeled
• 1⁄4 cup seedless raisin
• 1⁄4 cup currants
• 2 ounces dried apricots, chopped
• pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 2 teaspoons shallots, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup pine nuts, toasted

directions

1. Cook rice with peeled ginger, in boiling salted water until done, about 25 minutes. While rice is cooking, soak the raisins, currants and chopped apricots in hot water to cover, then drain when plump.
2. When rice is ready, remove ginger and place rice in a warm serving casserole. To the rice in the casserole, add pepper, nutmeg, shallots, lemon juice, coriander, and olive oil. Gently fold in the plumped raisins, currants and apricots. Keep warm until ready to serve. Just before serving, sprinkle with pine nuts.

Reviews

[realbirdlady]

A nice side dish. I easily imagine this in an iberian household of the colonial era. The nutmeg and coriander do need to set in a little; it shouldn't go straight to the table. I just used additional raisins in place of the currants.

 

[Rita1652]

I made this in the rice cooker! i put all the ingredients except for the lemon, pine nuts and oil in the cooker. No plumping is needed when cooking this way. I did omit the currants and pine nuts! Wonderful sweet and light!

 

[NorthwestGal]

This was good, but it didn't have as much of a spicy taste as I assumed. But it sure is colorful and makes a great presentation. It's such an easy dish to prepare though, so I will make this will definitely make this again. I think I'll increase the amount of ginger, and maybe experiment with a few other additions because this recipe seems pretty versatile and would lend itself to lots of additions. Made for ZWT9 (Caribbean).

 

[evelynathens]

This delicious pilaf has so much going for it - fruity-sweet, spicy, slightly tart in bites...it was a delight to eat. Thanks.

 

[Annacia]

This is a total winner. I really can't think of anything I didn't like about it. Being naturally lazy I cooked the raisins, currents and apricot in with the rice. They will plump and add more flavor to the rice in my opinion. The lemon sprinkle is brilliant, what a great little perk it adds. I didn't use the pine nuts because I don't have any and somehow walnuts, pecans or almonds just didn't seem right. Thanks Jan for a lovely new way with rice. Made for ZWT7.