Auntie's Armenian Rice Pilaf

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup vermicelli
• 1 cup rice
• 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth, preferably homemade, heated till boiling
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Recipe

• 1 in 2-qt. heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat until foam subsides.
• 2 add vermicelli noodles and saute until dark and reddish in color.
• 3 stir in rice and saute in butter until rice is fragrant and nutty in aroma.
• 4 raise heat to medium-high; pour in boiling chicken broth and stir.
• 5 add salt and pepper, tasting a bit of the broth to ensure desired seasoning.
• 6 cover and bring to a boil.
• 7 once boiling, reduce heat to keep broth at a simmer and cook for exactly 20 minutes.
• 8 after 20 minutes, remove cover and taste a few grains of rice for doneness. if still a bit hard, replace cover and cook for two additional minutes.
• 9 when rice is tender, remove pot from heat. place a paper napkin directly on top of the pilaf and replace cover; let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
• 10 after rest-time has elapsed, remove cover, discard the paper napkin, and stir the pilaf before serving.