My favorite formula for a quick weeknight dinner is: garden salad, protein, starch and vegetable. There are endless possibilities for this formula. Pork, beef, chicken, fish, tofu, beans…steaks, balls, tenderloins…roasted, pan fried, baked, deep fried…and that’s just the protein!
One of my favorites for starch is Rice Pilaf. It’s simple and quick in a InstantPot, yet the cooking method adds flavor and the rice comes out beautifully tender and fluffy. This is simply the basic base recipe. The flavors can be changed up by adding different spices, using different types of stock base, and adding different accompaniments at the end.
Ingredients
Rice
For rice pilaf you need a long grain rice. Simple “long grain” rice will work. To add different flavors and textures, you can use Jasmine Rice or Basmati Rice. However, Jasmin rice will of course add a floral flavor. Basmati rice is even less “sticky” than generic long grain rice and will be a bit drier. Short grain rice like CalRose will not work for this recipe as it will clump too much to have the proper texture in the end. Do not use an instant rice or brown rice for this particular recipe as the liquid to rice ratios will not be correct.
Onion
Simple yellow onion is best for this recipe. Cooked, it will lend a tad bit of jammy sweetness without being cloying or overwhelm the finished dish. Aromatics are particularly important when rice dishes are involved as rice itself is the beautiful canvas awaiting flavors.
Garlic
Garlic adds to our amazing melody of flavors by adding another component of flavor to the aromatics. Mincing the garlic will quickly infuse the flavors into the rice. However, if you do not have the time, a whole clove of garlic will suffice. The flavors will be infused into the rice. Be sure to remove the clove before serving.
Fat
My preference for fat for rice is a combination of olive oil and either butter or lard. Lard is specifically used for Spanish Rice (stay tuned for the recipe). For Rice Pilaf, I use half olive oil and half butter. Using butter alone, especially in an InstantPot the risk of burning the milk solids in the butter is very high. Add the olive oil helps raise the smoke point slightly and the risk of burning is not as much of a concern.
Liquid
For this very basic recipe you can use water if you prefer. Personally, I use stock that reflects the recipe in which it will be served. Beef or Pork, I use beef stock. Chicken or fish, I use chicken stock. You can alway use homemade (stay tuned for the recipe and procedure) or as I prefer, use Better Than Bullion stock base. This base lasts a long time in the refrigerator. Less room is needed to store it and you control the strength of the broth.
Bay Leaf
Process
Prepare the InstantPot
Place a clean and DRY insert into the InstantPot. Press the sauté button. Adjust the time to at least 30 minutes, and press start.
Allow the InstantPot to get hot before adding any fat. Allowing the metal to fully heat before adding fat will help create a “non stick” surface. When metal is heated, it will expand. Add the fat after that expansion has occurred will allow the fat to coat the bottom of the insert and to seal up those microscopic holes.
Prepare Your Aromatics
Dice your onion.
Mince the garlic
Cook the Rice
Be sure you minced the garlic and diced the onion ahead of time so nothing burns waiting for preparation.
Add the fat to your hot InstantPot and swirl to coat the bottom and allow the butter to melt.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to one minute to release the oils in the garlic and to allow it start to soften. In this step the garlic is infusing the oil with its flavors.
Add the diced onion. Sprinkle with salt. The salt will help draw out the moisture in the onions quicker and enable the onions to caramelize a bit quicker. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. The onion should be tender and have slight color to them. We do not want them to be burned, but we do not want raw crunchy onions.
Add the rice and stir to coat the rice in the fat. Cook the rice for another 3-5 minutes. Not every rice granule should be brown, but about one fourth of the granules should have color. This deepens the flavor, brings out the nuttiness in the rice.
Add the Better Than Bullion base and the bay leaf.
Add the liquid.
Stir while scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing is stuck on the bottom to help prevent burning.
Place the lid on the InstantPot and twist into place.
Hit the “cancel” button. Press the “Manual” or “pressure cook” button. Adjust the pressure to high. Set the time to 6 minutes. Ensure the pressure is set to Natural Release. This may be a button setting or it may the position of the valve depending on your model.
Press start. The InstantPot will take a while to come to pressure. The timer will not start until after it has fully come to pressure. When the time is up, do not try to open the InstantPot. Allow the pressure to release on its own. This can take up to 20-30 minutes (Mine took 19 minutes with one pound of rice) depending on model and the amount of rice in the InstantPot.
Once the pressure has fully released, open the lid carefully and do not allow any part of your skin to be in direct contact with any remaining steam.
Using a rice spatula fluff the rice. Leave the lid off the InstantPot for 5 minutes to allow any excess moisture to steam off the rice.
Serve immediately.
Leave a Reply