Pilav

Pilav (also known as pilaf, pilau, pulao, plov, polu, and palaw) is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do not adhere.

Origins and Etymology

The word pilav is derived from the Persian word pilâv, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit word pulāka (meaning "a ball of rice"), which was transmitted to the Persian language through the Middle Persian. The English term pilaf is borrowed directly from the Turkish pilav, which in turn comes from Persian pilâv.

Preparation

The method of cooking pilav usually involves a two-step process. The first step is the cooking of vegetables, meat, or both in fat, oil, or butter. Once the vegetables and meat have been cooked, rice is added and cooked briefly in this mixture. This process is known as sauteing. The second step involves the addition of water or stock, followed by the cooking of the dish until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Variations

There are many variations of pilav, which can be found in the cuisines of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, East Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Some of these variations include:

• Biryani: A South Asian mixed rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent.
• Risotto: An Italian rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency.
• Paella: A Spanish rice dish that has ancient roots but its modern form originated in the mid-19th century in the area around the Albufera lagoon on the east coast of Spain adjacent to the city of Valencia.
• Jollof rice: A one-pot rice dish popular in many West African countries.

See also

• List of rice dishes
• List of pilaf dishes

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