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Pilau
Kenya
Pilau is the great dish of the Kenyan coast and the Swahili-speaking communities. Served at weddings and celebrations.
Kenyan spiced rice — long-grain rice cooked in a fragrant stock with whole spices, caramelised onion and meat. Mombasa's most celebrated rice dish, distinct from Indian biryani.
Prep
20 mins
Cook
45 mins
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
430 kcal
Serves
4
Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used
Ingredients
400glong-grain rice
400gbeef or chicken, cubed
2onions, thinly sliced
1 tspwhole cumin
1 tspwhole cardamom
1cinnamon stick
4cloves
1 tspblack pepper
4 clovesgarlic
50mloil
Method
1
Fry onions in oil until very dark — almost burnt. Remove half and reserve.
2
Add whole spices, garlic and meat. Brown. Add rice.
3
Add stock to cover. Cook covered 20 minutes.
4
Top with reserved dark onion. Serve.
Chef's Tip
The very dark onion is the signature of Kenyan pilau — don't stop caramelising too early.
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Some recipe photos courtesy of Openverse and Wikimedia Commons contributors, used under Creative Commons licenses.