Authentic Lebanese Rice Recipe
This Authentic Lebanese Rice recipe offers a flavorful and aromatic side dish featuring long-grain basmati rice infused with cinnamon, allspice, and sautéed onions, cooked gently in vegetable broth to perfection. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to a variety of Middle Eastern dishes, delivering a fragrant and comforting experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon allspice powder
- Salt to taste
- 1¾ cups hot vegetable broth
Instructions
- Rinse Rice: Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch, ensuring fluffy, separate grains after cooking.
- Sauté Onions: In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until golden brown and translucent, which will build a rich base flavor.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in the minced garlic, cinnamon stick, and allspice powder. Cook briefly for about 1 minute until the spices become fragrant, releasing their warming aromas.
- Toast Rice: Add the rinsed basmati rice to the saucepan and stir well to coat each grain with the oil and spices, enhancing flavor and texture.
- Add Broth and Salt: Pour in the hot vegetable broth and season with salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer Rice: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and let the rice simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice.
- Rest and Fluff: Remove the saucepan from the heat but keep it covered. Allow the rice to sit undisturbed for an additional 5 minutes to steam and finish cooking. Finally, fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving to separate the grains.
Notes
- Rinsing the rice thoroughly is essential to achieve light, fluffy rice without clumping.
- Use hot vegetable broth to speed up cooking and infuse more flavor into the rice.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with olive oil for a richer taste.
- Covering the pot while simmering traps steam and ensures even cooking of the rice.
- To make this dish gluten-free and vegetarian, verify the ingredients of your broth and allspice.
Keywords: Lebanese rice, basmati rice recipe, authentic Lebanese side dish, spiced rice, Middle Eastern rice, aromatic rice
Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/authentic-lebanese-rice-recipe/
