Nohutlu Pilav

Nohutlu Pilav (Turkish Rice with Chickpeas)

A classic Turkish one-pot rice pilaf studded with buttery sautéed onions and tender chickpeas, traditionally served alongside stews, grilled meats, or simply with a dollop of yogurt.

Prep

15 min

Cook

45 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz / 1 cup) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with 1 tsp salt
• •30 g (2 tbsp) Turkish butter (sade yağ) or unsalted butter, traditionally clarified sheep's-tail butter for the richest flavor
• •1 medium (1 medium (about 120 g)) yellow onion, finely chopped
• •300 g (10½ oz / 1½ cups) long-grain rice, baldo or American long-grain; rinse until water runs clear
• •500 ml (2 cups) hot chicken or beef stock, use vegetable stock if cooking vegetarian
• •5 ml (1 tsp) fine salt, adjust to taste
• •2 ml (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •15 g (1 tbsp) additional butter, for finishing on top
• •10 g (1 tbsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, optional garnish

Steps

1. 1 Drain the soaked chickpeas and place them in a saucepan. Cover with fresh water by 5 cm (2 in) and simmer for 35–45 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside. (If using a pressure cooker, cook 20 minutes at pressure; from a pressure-canned or pre-cooked standpoint, 250 g / 9 oz drained chickpeas may be substituted.)
2. 2 While the chickpeas cook, rinse the rice in several changes of cool water until the water runs clear, then soak in warm salted water for 15 minutes. Drain well.
3. 3 Melt the 30 g butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring, until soft and pale golden but not browned.
4. 4 Add the drained rice and stir gently for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in butter and slightly toasted.
5. 5 Pour in the hot stock and add the cooked chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Stir once, bring to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
6. 6 Cover tightly with a lid (traditionally a clean folded tea towel is placed under the lid to absorb excess steam). Simmer undisturbed for 15–18 minutes, until the liquid is fully absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface of the rice.
7. 7 Remove from the heat, dot the top with the remaining 15 g of butter, cover again, and let rest off the heat for 10 minutes — this final steaming step is essential for fluffy, separate grains.
8. 8 Fluff gently with a fork, lifting from the bottom to keep the rice light. Transfer to a warm serving dish, scatter parsley over the top if using, and serve hot.