Bukharian Pilaf with Kidney Beans & Carrots

Pilau is the national rice dish of Bukhara and Afghanistan and is served at every large, festive gathering; indeed, it occupies center stage at almost every Sabbath meal. Being a vegetarian, I did not want to miss out on this traditional dish, so I updated it with kidney beans in place of meat. Pilau is generously seasoned only with salt and pepper, allowing the flavors of the carrots and onions to be the strongest element. The key to making pilau is to cook the ingredients in