Aromatic Herb Pilaf with homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

For the Fried onion

1. 4
   Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, soak 20 minutes and drain.

   Colander

   💡Rinsing removes the starch from the surface of the grains: the rice comes out fluffy and separate, not sticky.

   💡Soaking shortens the cooking, and the grains cook evenly.
2. 5
   Heat the butter in a pot over medium heat.

   StovePot
3. 6
   Add the onion and fry for 7 minutes, stirring, until the onion turns golden.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 7
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   Stove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.

To assemble

1. 8
   Add the rice and the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and bay leaves and stir 2 minutes, until all the grains are coated in fat.
2. 9
   Add the chicken stock, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.

   Stove
3. 10
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
4. 11
   Turn off the heat and leave covered 10 minutes.

   💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
5. 12
   Gently stir in the parsley and cilantro.
6. 13
   Gently fluff with a fork, sprinkle the pine nuts on top and serve.