Mastering the art of preparing a delicious Kenyan Beef pilau is surprisingly easy, and it’s the perfect dish to whip up on a lazy night. With a bit of spice and the magic of combining ingredients, you’ll end up with a flavorful rice dish that’s hard to resist. My journey with pilau started at a young age, shadowing my mother in the kitchen. Over time, I’ve tweaked her recipe to suit my taste buds, making it a uniquely personal culinary creation.
Spicing it up
The first modification I made to my pilau recipe was ditching the pre-mixed pilau masala to craft my blend from the spices in my rack. A masala is essentially a mix of spices, and after a bit of research, I discovered that I had all the necessary spices at my disposal. The beauty of making your mix lies in adjusting the quantities based on personal preference. For instance, I scaled back on cumin to avoid overshadowing other flavors and increased the amount of coriander for its subtle taste. Additionally, I opted out of using tomatoes or tomato paste because that’s just the way I like it.
Kenyan Beef Pilau Masala Mix:
- 2 tablespoons of coriander
- 1 tablespoon of cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon of cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 tablespoon of cardamom
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
Ingredients
- 250 grams (1/4 kg) cubed beef
- 3-4 medium-sized onions
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon of fresh ginger
- 2 cups of rice
- 4 cups of water
- Salt
- 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of Pilau masala mix
Method: Getting the best out of your Kenyan Beef Pilau
- Begin by frying chopped onions in vegetable oil until soft and almost browned.
- Add ginger and garlic paste, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Introduce cubed beef, season with salt, and cover. Cook until the meat dries up, browns, and caramelizes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of Pilau masala mix and bay leaves. Toast the spices for a minute.
- Stir in the washed rice until well mixed with the spices.
- Pour in 4 cups of water, stir, and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot tightly with foil, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice dries out.
- Listen for a crackling sound after 10 minutes to determine if the rice is dry.
- Once dry, remove the foil, fluff the rice with a fork, and discard bay leaves.
- Use the fork to mix the rice with any beef and onions that may have floated to the top.
- Serve hot with fresh kachumbari (salsa)
Have you tried making Kenyan Beef Pilau, leave a review or ask a question in the comment section below.
