5.0 from 150 votes
Jeweled vegetarian rice plov
Russian vegetarian plov is a festive dish that combines Eastern spices and flavours with a Russian love of dried fruits, starch and root vegetables.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings: 8
Calories: 270 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Russian , Ukrainian
Ingredients
- 2 cups of long-grain or basmati rice
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots
- 2- inch piece of ginger or 2 tsps of dry ginger
- 2 tsps ground coriander
- 3 tsps salt and more, to taste
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup dried apricots
- ½ cup prunes or any other dried fruit of your choice
- ¼ cup chopped almonds or pistachios
- parsley or cilantro optional
Instructions
- Soak rice overnight, or at least for a couple of hours.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Finely chop onion, and add to pot. Sauté onion until it turns golden, about five minutes.
- Reduce heat to low-medium. If using fresh ginger, grate it, or add dry ginger, coriander and 1 teaspoon of salt to onion. Mix and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Finely grate carrots. Add them to pot and let soften for another 5 minutes.
- Finely chop all of your dried fruit in equal-sized bits. Add them to pot with just enough water to cover, mix well, and let cook on low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Drain rice, and mix in an additional 2 tsps of salt. Add rice to pot, but do not stir or mix it with any of the other ingredients! Add 1 Tb of oil, and just enough water to cover the rice, plus an additional two inches.
- Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke five to six holes in rice all the way through to bottom of pot. This will help it release steam and cook evenly.
- Place a clean kitchen towel over pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and secure the loose edges of the towel on top of lid. Cook on medium heat until pot is beginning to steam, about 5-10 minutes (no peeking!), and then reduce heat to very low. Let cook slowly, without stirring or peeking, until rice is cooked through, about 35-40 minutes. Turn off heat and let plov rest for about 15 minutes without removing lid. Check for doneness, and if need be, let cook 10 minutes longer.
- When serving, pick a large platter that is bigger than the circumference of your pot. Cover the top of the rice pot with the platter, face-down, and turn the whole thing over, gently wiggling the pot and allowing the rice to pour out with the veggies on top. Russians like to turn the pot over in front of their guests, letting the rice and jeweled mixture spill onto the platter. If this is your first time making it, do this ahead of time in the kitchen to avoid embarrassing mishaps. Decorate with chopped almonds or pistachios and chopped cilantro or parsley, if desired.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
270kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
59g
(20%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
2g
(3%)
Saturated Fat
0.3g
(2%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Sodium
878mg
(37%)
Potassium
354mg
(10%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
15g
(30%)
Vitamin A
391IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
44mg
(4%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 270
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 270kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 878mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 354mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 15g | 30% |
| Vitamin A | 391IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 44mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.