About this Dish
Kenyan spiced rice — long grain rice cooked with whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, pepper), caramelised onions and meat in a rich broth. A Swahili Coast dish reflecting centuries of Arab and Indian trade influence along the East African coastline. Served at weddings, Eid celebrations and special occasions. Mombasa pilau is considered the finest.
IngredientsServes 6
🍚Basmati or long grain rice, 2 cups (rinsed and soaked 30 mins)
🍖Beef or goat meat, 500g cut into chunks
🧅Large onions, 3 thinly sliced
🧄Garlic, 5 cloves minced
🫚Vegetable oil or ghee, 4 tablespoons
🌿Whole cardamom pods, 6 lightly crushed
🪵Cinnamon stick, 1 large
🌰Whole cloves, 5, whole black peppercorns 8, cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
🍅Ripe tomatoes, 2 medium roughly chopped
🫙Pilau masala powder, 1 heaped teaspoon (or garam masala as substitute)
Method
1
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until they turn deep golden brown and caramelised — this is the heart of a good pilau, so do not rush this step.2
Add the whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds) directly to the caramelised onions and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the garlic and pilau masala powder and cook for another minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook down until the oil begins to separate, about 5 minutes.3
Add the meat pieces and stir well to coat in the spiced onion mixture. Brown the meat on all sides for 5–7 minutes, then pour in enough water to just cover the meat (roughly 2 cups). Season generously with salt, cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes until the meat is tender and the broth is richly flavoured.4
Taste the broth and adjust salt — it should be well-seasoned as it will cook your rice. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot, stirring gently to combine with the meat and broth. The liquid level should sit about 2cm above the rice; add a little hot water if needed.5
Bring to a boil uncovered, then once the water has reduced to just level with the rice, turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly with a lid (or seal with foil then the lid) and steam for 15–18 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.6
Remove from heat and let the pot rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork, mixing the meat up from the bottom. Serve hot with a kachumbari salad of diced tomatoes, onion, chilli and coriander alongside.7
Remove from heat and let the pilau rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing gently with a fork. Serve hot alongside kachumbari (fresh tomato and onion salad) and a cold glass of tamarind juice.User Reviews
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