Rice Pilaf (african)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups basmati rice
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 fresh chili pepper, chopped (to taste)
• 4 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 -2 cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods, seeds of
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• fresh ground pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the onions until soft.
• 2 stir in the rice and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes.
• 3 add the raisins, chili, lime zest, cinnamon sticks, cardamon, salt and 4 cups of water and stir well.
• 4 cover the pan and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
• 5 meanwhile, lightly toast the slivered almonds in a dry frying pan.
• 6 remove the saucepan from the heat and fluff up the rice with a fork.
• 7 stir in the almonds, parsley and season to taste before serving.