Saed News: Some dishes, when you hear their name, seem to bring a memory to life in your mind. Carrot pilaf is one of those dishes that, with its ingredients and the aroma it fills the house with, reminds us of memories from childhood and grandmother's house.
According to Saed News' culinary service, some dishes, when you hear their name, seem to bring a memory to life in your mind. Carrot pilaf is one of those dishes that, with its ingredients and the aroma it fills the house with, reminds us of memories from childhood and grandmother's house. But what is the secret to making this dish even tastier? Certainly, simply buying the ingredients and adding them to the pot isn't enough. You need to know the cooking tricks and techniques, understand the quality of ingredients to buy, and know the right amount of saffron, barberries, and chicken to use for making this delicious traditional dish.
So, if you're ready to cook this dish and answer the question "What should I make with chicken?", join us and learn how to make carrot pilaf with chicken and barberries. You can also check out the article "How to make carrot pilaf with ground beef" to learn how to make it with beef.
Ingredients for making Carrot Pilaf with Chicken and Barberries:
Chicken breast: 2 pieces
Medium onion: 1 piece
Carrots: 3 pieces
Rice: 3 cups
Barberries: ½ cup
Butter: 2 tablespoons
Oil: as needed
Sugar: 1 tablespoon
Brewed saffron: 2 tablespoons
Ground cinnamon: ½ teaspoon
Black pepper: ½ teaspoon
Salt: as needed
This amount of ingredients is for serving 4 people. You can adjust the quantities based on the number of people.
Steps to make Carrot Pilaf with Chicken:
Season the Chicken with Saffron and Cinnamon: Cut the chicken breast pieces a little larger than usual. This will help them retain their moisture while cooking and become tender. Sauté the sliced onion in a little oil until golden, then add the chicken and allow it to sear.
To remove the chicken's smell, add black pepper and cinnamon. The combination of these spices will make the chicken very flavorful. Once the chicken changes color, add a cup of boiling water and let it simmer on low heat. When most of the water evaporates, add the brewed saffron and stir the mixture.
Fry the Carrots: Fry the sliced carrots in a bit of oil. You have two options here: you can fry them until they change color or, if you prefer them a bit crunchy, sauté them for just a few minutes. Add one tablespoon of sugar and sauté for a bit. The sugar will not make the carrots sweet but will give them a hint of flavor that complements the barberries perfectly.
Fry the Barberries: Put the soaked barberries in butter and fry them on very low heat. Be careful not to burn the barberries as they can turn bitter quickly. Stir for about 30 seconds and then remove from heat. At this point, sprinkle a little saffron over the barberries to make them more vibrant.
Boil the Rice: Soak the rice in water and salt beforehand. Then, add it to boiling water and wait until the rice grains soften, but not enough to be mushy. Once done, drain the rice and let the excess water drain completely.
Layer the Ingredients: Now comes the most important step: steaming the rice. Drizzle a bit of oil at the bottom of the pot and choose your preferred tahdig (crispy bottom) – potato, bread, or even rice itself. Then, layer the rice, carrots, and a bit of barberries. Repeat this layering until all ingredients are used. Finally, pour the remaining saffron over the rice and cover with a lid. Start with high heat until it steams, then reduce the heat and let it steam for about 45 minutes.
Serve the Pilaf: Once the rice is ready, serve it in a dish. You can either place the chicken next to the rice or shred it and mix it in so that the saffron color spreads throughout the dish. For a final touch, sprinkle some sliced pistachios or almonds on top of the rice and serve!
Important Tips for Making Carrot Pilaf with Chicken:
Carrot pilaf, when made right, can become one of the tastiest and most beloved dishes. Therefore, if you want to make this dish perfectly, it’s essential to follow a few simple yet important tips:
Keep the barberries and carrots separate from the rice and only add them when serving to maintain the appealing color of the dish.
Fry the chicken in butter until it becomes golden and slightly caramelized.
Use a generous amount of saffron, as it plays a central role in making the dish fragrant and flavorful.
Use cinnamon in moderation, as too much can overshadow the flavor of the barberries and saffron, even making the dish bitter.
Pay attention to the tahdig! Potato tahdig works wonderfully for this dish, but if you're a fan of bread tahdig, that's fine too!
Carrot pilaf is a delicious, special, and festive dish that you can make with the recipe we've shared in this article and enjoy its wonderful taste and aroma. Its beautiful appearance makes it one of the most popular dishes for parties, and in some cities like Tabriz, it’s considered one of the main dishes for gatherings. The simplicity combined with the charm of the dish is what makes it stand out from other Persian pilafs.
