Rice with Carrots (Havuçlu Pirinç Pilavı)

This rice dish is extremely simple. I have been purchasing colorful (orange, yellow, light purple and dark purple) carrots almost every week. Each time, I make something different with them. One week roasted, one week sliced for salads, shredded for carrot salads, sautéed and etc. I shredded some this week to add to salads and other meals and wanted to add to rice. It really turned out great. The best part is one of my boys who does not like to eat carrots, kept asking for more rice. I may try ‘cacık’ (yogurt soup) with carrots and see how that turns out.

Enjoy warm.

1 cup white rice

1 cup shredded colorful carrots (or one color)

¼ medium onion chopped finely (or a very small onion)

1 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 cups water

Heat the olive oil in a small pot. Add the onions and carrots together and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Wash the rice with cold water. Add the rice to the pot and stir for one minute. Add the water, salt and parsley. Cover and cook on high heat until the water boils. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the rice is soft. Serve warm.

  

Rice Pilaf with Carrots and Peas (Havuçlu ve Bezelyeli Pirinç Pilavı)

One of my favorite pilafs is with peas and carrots. Rice is so versatile; it can be cooked in different ways with various ingredients.

I use frozen peas for this recipe (the only frozen vegetable that I ever purchase) since good quality peas are not available fresh. Sometimes, I do find the large pods, but the peas inside are too small. If I could find good quality fresh peas, I would use them. My mother makes rice pilaf with carrots and peas pretty often. It is a good way of putting vegetables in starchy foods.


2 cups white rice
3 carrots (chopped in squares)
½ cup frozen peas
3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp olive oil
Salt

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add carrots and peas and mix together for 2 minutes. Add rice and mix again. Add the chicken broth and salt. Adjust the salt to your taste. Cook on medium heat until it starts boiling and then turn to low heat. Cook until all the water is absorbed. No need to stir while cooking. Serve with meat or vegetable dishes.

Leeks with Rice (Pirinçli Pırasa)

I have to admit that I do not know many recipes with leeks. My mother seldom cooked leeks. I do not recall her cooking it as the main dish but only as an ingredient for another recipe.

This dish is known in most parts of Turkey. This recipe is inspired from the Leeks with Carrots recipe from the Turkish cookbook called “Anatolian Feast” which is published by the American Turkish Association of Houston a non-profit organization.

4 medium leeks (sliced in ½ inch thick)
1 cup carrots (sliced thick)
1 red bell pepper (sliced lenghtwise)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 cup rice
1 tsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups water

Wash the leeks thoroughly. Clean underneath each leaf with lots of water. There will be dirt sticking between the leaves. Therefore, after washing and slicing them, I soak them in a pot full of water and triple wash them.

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Do not let them burn. Add leeks and carrots. Sautee for 3-4 minutes or until the leeks are soft. Add rice, tomato sauce, cumin, pepper and salt. Lastly, add the water. Stir well and cover the pot. Cook on low heat for 45 minutes. You may stir a few times during cooking to make sure the rice cooks well. Serve warm or cold as the main dish.