I am not going to put this Chorizo Pilaf under the mains category of Indian, Italian or Spanish, but in ‘other’, this is because I feel that this dish falls somewhere between a paella and a risotto, slow-cooked basmati rice with deep paprika flavours and even though I feel more Spanish than Italian or Indian, it would be wrong to label it. Also Pilaf and similar dishes are common to Balkan, Middle Eastern, Caucasian, Central and South Asian, East African, North Indian, Latin American and Caribbean cuisines. It is a staple food and a national dish in Afghan, Azerbaijani, Bukharan Jewish, Swahili (Kenyan and Zanzibari), Uzbek, and Tajik cuisines. So like I said, this dish does not have a label as it is very multicultural !
Pilaf is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth. In some cases, the rice may also attain its brown color by being stirred with bits of cooked onion, as well as a large mix of spices. Depending on the local cuisine, it may also contain meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits.
This dish is one that can be prepared any time of the year, there are no real seasonal ingredients, it would be warming in the winter due to the spicy chorizo and refreshing in the summer due to the tomatoes and lemon, it generally is a great all round dish and one I think you could make your own with a few additions. Why not add some frozen peas, prawns maybe, as it is not a traditional recipe you can do want you want to it and not feel you have ruined a traditional dish.
We enjoyed ours for dinner last night, a quick week day supper, but this dish would also make a lovely brunch served with a glass of wine and enjoyed in the sunshine in the garden, served with some fresh crusty bread you have the perfect meal.
How ever you enjoy it and how ever you wish to label it is up to you, but one thing I know for sure is that it was so simple to make and makes a very delicious, quick and easy supper. , what ever you decide to add or to call it, I just hope you enjoy it as much as we did, there were clean plates all round and happy content faces at the table.
Buon appetito
Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
250g baby cooking chorizo, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
400g can chopped tomatoes
250g basmati rice
600ml stock
1 lemon, zest peeled off in thick strips, plus wedges to serve
2 fresh bay leaves
small bunch parsley,chopped (I hate parsley, so used coriander instead)
Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. Add the onion and cook for 5-8 mins until soft and golden.
Push to the side of the pan and add the chorizo. Cook until lightly browned and some of the oils are released into the pan.
Add the garlic and paprika, then the tomatoes. Bubble over a medium heat for 5 mins, then add the rice, stock, lemon zest and bay leaves. Stir everything together well and bring to the boil. Put the lid on and cook over a very low heat for 12 mins.
Turn off the heat and leave to sit and steam for 10-15 mins. Stir through the parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
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