When discussing one of the most special Kenyan delicacies, we must mention pilau because it is one of the easiest ones to make. While you may have already made this delicacy, do you know how to make pilau in Kenya?
We love its versatility because it allows you to use whichever ingredients you choose. You can even use chicken if you have it, or skip the meat and make it a vegetable pilau.
The origin of pilau
Although pilau is common in East Africa today, it is not indigenous to East Africa. The Arab Indian settlers brought down the pilau Idea on the coastal side of Kenya and Tanzania. It does borrow a little from the pilau in India, but it looks nothing like the Indian one.
Indian vs. Kenyan pilau
Of course, the way we make it draws more influence from the Arab style. Kenyan pilau is brown, which makes it different from the Indian version, which is yellow. We achieve brownness by browsing the meat and onions while not using red tomatoes for the cooking.
The Indian pilau, on the other hand, is yellow because they like to use turmeric and saffron. Pilau is a festive dish; you will mostly have it during weddings.
What is pilau
You may have already noticed that it comes in different names, including pilaf, pilau, and pilav. They all refer to the same thing, depending on where you are. This one-pot dish has all the nutrients you may need, combining proteins, carbohydrates, and even vitamins.
If you like one-pot quick fixes, mastering this meal will make it easier. Besides, the ingredients are readily available wherever you are.
It’s a common meal with roots deeply embedded in Swahili culture. To make it even more delicious, some people cook rice, meat, vegetables, and spices in the broth.
Let’s just say it’s a fragrant, spicy, delicious meal that everyone enjoys.
How to make pilau
The ingredients
I know almost everyone has the ingredients we suggest, and this is what makes it the best meal.
Rice
Most people prefer the basmati rice or the long grain type of rice. However, if you crave it and you don’t have any of these types of rice, then you can use whichever rice you have,
Onions
The secret to the best pilau is to chop and then brown the onions. This process gives the onions their amazing brown color.
Pilau masala
When you are back home in Kenya, we have a spice we call pilau masala that is readily available, and most people have it in their pantry. Whether you want the fresh roasted ones you get in the market at Eastleigh and Marikiti or prefer readymade ones, it is all okay.
It is a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cumin, coriander, cloves, and sometimes nutmeg and turmeric)
Beef
Get your favorite lean meat. I like to use beef, but you can also use mutton.
Garlic and ginger
This is important in the recipe, and it influences the taste. Of course, we have to crush the garlic and ginger to form a paste.
Cooking oil
Whether you have olive oil or vegetable oil, it all works. Just remember not to use other strong-flavored oils, as they may influence the results. We want to use the neutral choice.
Cubes
For flavor addition, use our favorite Kenyan royco cubes to make it even tastier.
Broth or water
You can use water if you like, but beef broth is better for taste and flavor.
Salt
Method
Preparation
Prepare the meat by cleaning it and chopping it into bite-size pieces. Then, set it on the stove to start cooking and tenderizing. Let it cook until it’s tender and all the water is dried. Do not add water to the meat if you aren’t making broth.
If you can use broth that you previously made, that’s okay because, for this step, we want to use meat tenderizers to ensure the meat retains its taste. I like to use ginger for the tenderizing. So we just marinate the meat for 45 minutes using the ginger-garlic paste.
Chop the onions and set them aside, then mince the garlic and ginger in preparation for the cooking.
Also, soak your rice to ease up the cooking process and time.
Prepare the spices
If you have not bought the ready spices, you can make them yourself. After all, they give it the perfect brown color. Take the whole spices ( cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and sometimes nutmeg and turmeric), place them in a pan, and then roast them over medium heat.
You can also set them in the preheated oven at 180C and let it roast for 5 -10 mins.
Once roasted, you can set it in a motor and crush it with a pestle or use a food processor to crush it.
Now, let’s make Kenyan pilau.
We already had the boiled meat. If it is tender and dried out, it’s ready for step 2, so add some oil. Let it fry or brown to help it attain the color and flavor you need. Don’t be in a hurry; give it time to cook properly. You want it to brown thoroughly. This will take another 5-10 minutes. It all depends on your heat source, remember.
Add the chopped onions and let them brown, too. There’s no hurry in this; we want it brown, the color that comes once it’s translucent. What you need to do is not stop stringing with your wooden spoon. Once it’s all browned, you’ll reach the required color.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and let it cook, too. Of course, this takes a minute or two, and it’s ready because we don’t want the garlic to burn.
Next, add in your freshly made whole spices or pilau masala. A tablespoon of the spice is more than enough for this meal. At this point, you can add the royco cubes too. If you like pepper, then add it at this point, too.
Now, add the rice and stir it gently without breaking to ensure it soaks in the flavors. Cover for a minute, and then add your broth or water.
Don’t forget salt. Stir in and then cover to simmer and cook. Make sure it’s cooking on low heat.
Fluff the pilau before serving. Garnish with cilantro or spring onions if you like.
Serve with kachumbari and your favorite fruit juice drink during the hot season.
Tips
I used beef here, but you can also use chicken, mutton, and meatless types of pilau.
Ensure you first tenderize the meat if you intend to have the best flavors of the beef blended in the recipe.
It’s versatile, so you can add your favorite ingredients, like potatoes, if you like.
A cup of rice will use 1 and 1/2 cups of water or broth. Remember that how you control your heat will determine how tender the rice is. But we also don’t want the sticky pilau; it should fluff out.
If you like, you can use the readymade pilau masala, but there’s a difference when you roast all the spices to cook with.
Check our other One-pot meals below.
One pot sukuma wiki and Matumbo recipe
Let’s make one pot of rice and beans