Rice Pilaf

As steamed rice is central to the cooking of Southeast Asia and the Far East, so pilaf is the ubiquitous rice dish of the Middle East. It is closest to a risotto in execution, the rice being fried with onion and spices to flavour it prior to being cooked in water or stock. The rice is, however, long-grain, and the finish much drier than a risotto. A pilaf may be enriched with butter and coloured with saffron, and it frequently includes dried fruit and nuts.