Lebanese Restaurant Rice Pilaf

Took me three tries but I finally nailed a restaurant style Lebanese rice pilaf. Nothing I tried online came close to this and I guess the secret is the right kind of rice, the right rice/water ratio and of course, plenty of butter and oil! Find yourself a good Lebanese yogurt marinade, grill some meats, and get a hold of some hummus. If you’re from Southeast Michigan or anywhere else with a large Middle Eastern population, you will feel like you’re eating at your favorite place! Trust me.

Step: 1

Soak rice in a bowl of water for 10 minutes; drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

Step: 2

Heat 1/4 cup butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir orzo until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add drained rice and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir orzo-rice mixture until rice is coated in butter-oil mixture and starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step: 3

Pour water over rice mixture and season with salt; stir and bring to a boil. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is fluffy and tender yet firm, about 20 minutes.

Step: 4

Heat remaining olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat; cook and stir almonds until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add remaining butter and stir in tahini until almonds are evenly coated. Mix almond mixture into rice mixture.

Per Serving: 203 calories; protein 2.8g; carbohydrates 18g; fat 13.4g; cholesterol 20.3mg; sodium 641.1mg.

Getting stay in and make food your dinner instead of dining out is already a step in the best direction if you’re focusing on eating healthier. There’s no better way to know exactly what’s happen into the food you’re eat than by making it yourself! Making the best of the main dish is only half the process , like that . And once you’ve perfected your chicken, steak, or fish, it’s time to turn your attention to the ever- focusing side dishes.

A side dish can easily derail your health goals, as sweetness , sodium, fat, and calories can all get than high quickly if you’re not think about it . But with our healthy side dish recipes, you won’t ever run into that mistakes .