Basmati Rice With Pine Nuts

Basmati rice and pine nuts
Peter Frank / Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Soak Rice: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Rice is a commonly served side dish in Middle Eastern cuisine and the more aromatic varieties like jasmine and basmati are the most popular. Basmati is slender, long grain rice that's typically associated with Indian cuisine. The name itself is Hindi for "fragrant." Native to the Indian subcontinent, it's now grown and exported from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Rice cooked in Middle Eastern recipes is most often done as a pilaf. Meaning it's cooked in stock instead of plain water and usually has added vegetables and/or spices. Typically, onion and garlic are sautéed in olive oil until translucent or even lightly caramelized. The basmati or jasmine rice is then added and sautéed for a few minutes in the mixture. Then various spices and chicken or vegetable stock are added.

This fabulous side dish is full of nutty flavor. The already nutty flavor of the basmati rice is enhanced with some pine nuts to show just how much you can do with rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice

  • 2 cups vegetable stock

  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

  • 1/2 clove garlic, peeled and minced

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/4 cup pine nuts

Steps to Make It

  1. Soak the basmati rice in cold water for approximately 2 hours prior to preparing the dish. Drain thoroughly.

  2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, pine nuts, and chopped onion. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions and garlic are tender.

  3. Add the rice to the saucepan and mix well. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Allow to simmer for approximately 20 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
211 Calories
16g Fat
15g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 211
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 335mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 111mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)