Name: Cherry Pilaf (Vişneli pilav)
Yield: Serves 4-5
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 6 oz/175 g fresh cherries, washed and stoned; 1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds; 1 pint/600 ml water; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 tablespoons clarified or ordinary butter; 8 oz/225 g long-grain rice

Preparation info

Serves
4-5

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Classic Turkish Cooking

By Ghillie Basan

Published 1995

About

A lovely summer pilaf, tinged a slight shade of pink, and served hot or cold. Usually fresh sour cherries are used, but it can be made with dried cherries, reconstituted in water for an hour.

Ingredients

8 oz/225 g long-grain rice
2 tablespoons clarified

Method

Wash the rice and, if it is sturdy and starchy, soak it in warm salted water for about half an hour. Rinse and drain well.
Melt the butter in a deep pan. Add the cherries and the sugar, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring them carefully. Stir in the caraway seeds and rice, and cover with the water. Add the salt and bring the liquid to the boil for 1-2 minutes. Redu