RICE WITH PINE KERNEL AND CURRANTS

RICE WITH PINE KERNEL
        AND CURRANTS

Rice pilaf is a very common dish  in Turkish Cuisine. There are cold and hot variations. It  serves with meat or chicken dish.
This recipe is a very good combination of  rice, pine kernel, currants and spices. Roasted turkey stuffed with this spicy rice is traditional  meal at New Year Eve dinner in Turkey. Usually chestnut and chicken livers are added. I will give this recipe another time.


INGREDIENTS
2 cups short grain rice
1 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
2 tbsp. pine kernel
2 tbsp. currants
1 tsp allspices
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups chicken stock

Place rice in a bowl, cover with hot water and add 1tsp salt. Soak 30 minutes. Then drain and wash several times, drain
Heat the butter or oil in a pan , add grated onion and pine kernel. Stir and fry until onion and pine kernel turn brown. Now add the rice, stir and sauté the rice 3-4 minutes. Add allspices, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Stir 2 minutes more. Pour hot chicken stock , bring to boil. Cover tightly, turn heat very low and cook 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender. Let the rice rest covered for 5 minutes before to serve.