Seasoning for pilaf has the same meaning as regular rice or meat. There are thousands of varieties of pilaf species and each is usually cooked with different spices. There are European and Asian sets, there are for chicken and lamb. We will teach you the right to choose and combine fragrant spices!
Material Content:
The classic composition of seasoning for pilaf
Without seasoning, not a single dish of meat and rice can simply be called “pilaf”. Why all? And because the spices saturate the dish with unforgettable signature flavors and make the taste original. It is believed that the dish in question was invented in Asia, so you can safely go to the market for classic seasoning sets. There are always connoisseurs of food and they will offer the right set.
Remember the right to an individual presentation - each “pilaf master” sees the classic composition of seasonings for pilaf in his own way. The composition may be sharper, sweeter, acidic, so do not forget to tell the “consultant” about personal preferences.
What is a classic for pilaf:
- barberry (black or red) - gives the desired acidity;
- cumin (zira) - a special and most unusual spice;
- turmeric - gives a pleasant orange tint to the finished rice;
- saffron - makes the taste brighter, gives a subtle bitterness;
- paprika (chili, dried red pepper) - makes the pilaf taste brighter;
- savory (do not confuse with thyme!) - gives an exotic touch;
- sage - has the property of enhancing the taste of meat.
- cilantro (coriander) - a favorite spice in the East, without which, it seems, they do not start cooking in principle.
By the way, they rarely add saffron sets to everyone - spice costs fabulous money even in Iran, where it is extracted for export, not to mention the rest of the world.To get only 1 kilogram of spice, you need to process more than 150,000 crocus flowers, from which the spice is extracted from the stigmas. But the remaining seasonings are grown there, in Asia, and they are easy to get all year round.
It's important to know! According to the secret of the chefs, seasonings are added twice. The first is in zirvak, when the meat is fried with onions and carrots. And the second - after adding rice. So the aroma of spices opens evenly and impregnates every grain of rice and a piece of meat.
What seasonings are added to pilaf with chicken?
Chicken pilaf can be considered a light version of a traditional dish. After all, it cooks much faster (if only because the chicken does not require such a long heat treatment). Is it any wonder that many housewives are eager to find ready-made spices for the dish and simplify their task? We offer you to find out what seasonings are added by popular spices producers for pilaf with poultry.
The composition may include:
- dried vegetables (carrots, onions, garlic);
- cumin, curry, black pepper;
- turmeric, coriander;
- dried basil;
- sunflower oil;
- iodized salt.
Interestingly, nutritionists favor the presence of hot spices in pilaf - they speed up metabolism and help burn calories. But they need to be eaten in moderation so as not to harm the stomach.
Please note that almost all manufacturers put glutamate in their seasoning, which improves the taste of the product, as well as citric acid and preservatives. Those who do not like artificial additives can do without spices, but it’s better to sprinkle pilaf with caraway seeds (in other words, dill seeds) - it gives the dish a wonderful delicate aroma. And put the whole head of garlic - so pilaf will become authentic, and you will not notice the absence of spices, emphasizing the delicate taste of the chicken.
Pork pilaf recipe
Pilaf with pork will be good with any ready-made set of spices, however, you can ask the seller to make it a little less spicy, reducing the amount of chili peppers. What is it for? Pork - meat is tender and does not have the same bright aroma as beef, so do not interrupt its taste with excessive pungency.
But cumin, savory and sage, on the contrary, will strengthen the meat taste and give a bright flavor note to the finished dish. Remember! It is better to cook pork pilaf at a time - when heated, it loses its taste.
How to season a dish with lamb?
Zira seasoning is considered ideal for pilaf with beef. Europeans do not welcome this seasoning too much, but pilaf with lamb will not be pilaf unless zira is added to it. Outwardly, zira resembles dill seeds, but its taste is completely different - bitter, with a nutty note that intensifies during grinding and in the process of roasting.
For pilaf, whole seeds are used and it is believed that it is zira that “unites” the taste of all other spices. And in a pilaf with lamb, it is very important to put barberry or cornel (they prefer to use it in Kyrgyzstan) to give a slight acidity, which perfectly neutralizes the dense and greasy taste of a meat dish.
With beef
A great addition to beef pilaf is basil and oregano. They always emphasize the taste of veal. Basil, in principle, is a self-sufficient spice, but there is a nuance here - the green variety has a milder flavor, but the violet is more saturated. For pilaf, a green variety of spices is better, and his colleague is ideal for pasta.
You can not overdo it with seasonings. They clog the taste of ready meals and in large quantities can harm the digestive system.
Remember that for beef pilaf it is better to use more carrots and onions, otherwise it will be dry.
Oriental spices for pilaf
Pilaf today is an international dish and it is cooked in different parts of the world in its own way. To adapt the dishes, the chefs developed two lines of spices. The first is European, and the second is Eastern.
What is included in the European kit?
- paprika;
- onion;
- dried tomatoes;
- carrot;
- caraway;
- black pepper with salt.
Oriental spice sets necessarily consist of:
- zirs;
- barberry;
- coriander;
- turmeric.
Eastern people will not sit at the table if these spices are not in the pilaf. But they do not need dried onions and tomatoes. And in the East (and in Asia), a whole head of garlic is necessarily added to the dish, and the finished pilaf is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds to give it a light pleasant acidity.
How to replace Hops-Suneli?
The composition of the Suneli hops is truly unique. Some components of this fragrant spice are expensive (yes, there is a special saffron!), While others, like uchi-suneli or blue fenugreek, hyssop grow exclusively in highland Georgia.
It is interesting:hyssop
The right sunelie hops always contain:
- marigolds (Imereti saffron);
- parsley (branches with whole leaves are used);
- petioles of celery;
- basil;
- cilantro (not seeds are used here, but leaves with stems);
- peppermint;
- marjoram;
- hyssop (a special type of shrub);
- dill;
- Bay leaf;
- savory;
- red hot pepper.
Dry leaves are taken in equal proportions and add a little red pepper and saffron to them (only 0.1% of the total number of spices). The mixture is ground and then introduced into the dishes. As you can see, making hops-suneli at home is not so easy. It’s easier to buy a ready-made kit from a trusted seller. But in fairness it is worth noting that hops-suneli are rarely added to pilaf, but it perfectly suits chakhokhbili and kharcho. He also produces amazing creamy nutty sauces for hot poultry dishes.
Regardless of the purpose of the spices, it is important to learn how to choose them correctly. To do this, pay attention to the quality of packaging, production time and choose natural compositions without preservatives or flavor enhancers. Then any dish will turn out fragrant, unique and tasty! Good appetite.
