Vermicelli Rice (Arabic Rice)
Vermicelli Rice (Arabic Rice) is a Middle Eastern dish that includes vermicelli pasta that has been fried until golden brown then cooked with the rice.
Servings 4 as a side
Calories 250kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice (I used basmati) rinsed and well drained
- ¼ cup broken dry vermicelli pasta (see my notes) angel hair/capellini pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in high-sided pot over medium heat. Add pine nuts and fry until golden brown, then remove to a plate (leaving oil in pot).1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- Add broken vermicelli pasta to the same pot. Fry over medium heat until golden brown (watch carefully as it can brown very quickly).¼ cup broken dry vermicelli pasta (see my notes)
- Then add rinsed rice and stir to coat in oil.1 cup long grain rice (I used basmati)
- Add chicken stock and salt and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn heat down to very low then cover and cook for 15 minutes.2 cups chicken stock, ½ teaspoon fine salt
- After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit for another 10 minutes (without lifting the lid).
- Gently fluff the rice with a fork, top with reserved pine nuts and serve.
Notes
- You can occasionally buy vermicelli pasta already broken into short lengths. It's usually called "short cut angel hair pasta" or something similar. If this isn't available just use long vermicelli (angel hair) pasta and snap it into 3cm lengths.
- Rinsing the rice in cool water helps to keep the rice grains nice and separate in the finished rice. Separate (not sticky) grains are the hallmark of a rice pilaf.
- Watch the vermicelli carefully when you are frying it - because it's so thin it can go from brown to burnt really quickly! This isn't the time to be multitasking!
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal