Riz bi Sharieh, the Lebanese vermicelli rice dish made with butter-toasted vermicelli and basmati rice goes well with any Arabic stew or main course.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: arabic, lebanese, middle eastern
Servings: 3people
Author: Famidha Ashraf
INGREDIENTS
½tablespoonbutter
½tablespoonolive oil
¼cupvermicelli
1cupbasmati rice
2cupswateror as required
salt to taste
pine nuts(toasted or fried) optional
fresh parsleyoptional
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse the basmati rice a few times until water runs clear and soak in water for 30 to 45 minutes or as per the pack instructions. Drain the rice and keep it aside.
Heat butter or any cooking oil in a deep thick bottomed pan on a medium flame. If using pine nuts or sliced almonds, fry them until light brown, remove them with a slotted spoon, and keep them aside for later.
Add more butter if required and stir fry and roast the vermicelli pasta for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are evenly browned to a dark golden shade. You will notice that the butter will foam and froth and smell fabulous as the vermicelli get toasted. Make sure you don't burn so keep the heat low.
Next, stir the drained rice into the vermicelli. Saute for a few seconds to coat the grains with butter. Pour enough water (room temp) as per rice pack instructions or go with a 1:2 rice to water ratio. Pour at least 2 cups of water or just enough water that is 1 cm above the rice level. (1 cm is roughly half of the first knuckle of your index finger.)
Stir in salt to taste and bring the whole thing to a full boil on a high flame. Boil until most of the water evaporates and the grains and vermicelli surface up.
Reduce the flame to the lowest and cover the pan with a tight lid. Let it slowly steam cook for 8 to10 minutes.
Open and stir the rice gently to bring the bottom portion to the top, cover the pot again. Cook for another 5 minutes and switch off. Let the pan sit undisturbed for another 5 to 8 minutes.
Open, fluff and serve on a platter. Garnish with fried nuts and chopped parsley. Serve Lebanese vermicelli rice with any Arabic side dish like Daoud Basha, Dawood Basha