RICE PILAF is a basic recipe with great versatility. The standard ratio of liquid to rice is 2 to 1. If you prefer your rice softer and moister, add another ½ cup of liquid. If you prefer the rice to be firmer, use ¼ cup less.

Once you know the basic technique, you can create your own variations to complement whatever you are serving. Here are a few suggestions: You can use chicken, beef, fish, or vegetable stock; and you can flavor the stocks with herbs, or spices such as curry or saffron. You can cook a few sliced mushrooms or some diced ham with the rice, or you can chop up dried fruit and nuts and add them to the rice before serving. Don’t use all of these suggestions in one recipe, but experiment with combinations.