Amira Rice – Gorgeous Grains with Rice Pilaf Recipe

Written and Photos by Jessica Lewandowski

You may have thought that it’s money that makes the world go ’round, but it’s actually rice. Yep, rice is a staple for a wide variety of cuisines, and we’d be missing out on a lot of yummy food if we didn’t have it. You wouldn’t think that there can be much of a difference between good and bad rice, but you’d be surprised to learn how much work goes into to a high-quality grain. Thankfully, Amira has us covered on good rice.

Amira’s Basmati Rice is harvested from the foothills of the Himalayas, and it’s aged for up to a year before it gets processed. The rice is processed and packaged in a high-end facility that is incredibly hygienic and pure. In fact, Amira prides itself in its pure rice grains. The company also happens to offer Indian snacks, dairy products, and vegetable oils.

Amira sent me over their traditional Basmati Rice, their Smoked Basmati Rice, and their Sona Masoori Rice. All of the rice was really nicely packaged with a resealable zipper. The rice was very pretty to look at and very clean. I was absolutely blown away by the Smoked Basmati Rice; it was heavenly to smell to the point where I was sticking my nose down the bag! I’m going to cook it alongside every single piece of grilled meat I make this summer.

I put together this really simple rice pilaf recipe to make with the Amira Basmati Rice. Rice pilaf is full of delicious buttery goodness, and it makes you look fancy at your next dinner party!

Simple Rice Pilaf

Ingredients
Serves 4-6

4 TB butter
1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1c Amira basmati rice
2 1/4c chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 leaves basil, minced

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a pot on medium heat.
2. Cook the diced onion in the butter, with the lid on, for about 4 minutes or until it’s soft and transparent.
3. Stir the minced garlic into the onions, and cook for about 1 minute.
4. Add the Basmati Rice, and cook it in the pot for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
5. Pour the chicken broth in, and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer.
6. Simmer the pot, covered, for about 8 minutes or until there’s no leftover liquid. Turn off the heat.
7. Stir in the seasonings. Taste, and adjust any seasoning as needed.
8. Let the rice pilaf stand for five minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

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