- Yield: 4-6
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Lebanese Riz (Rice with Vermicelli)
Lebanese rice is a staple in our house, a special favourite of the kids. It’s easy to make and goes
well with many stews (Tabiekh). The toasted vermicelli noodles leave your kitchen smelling like
you’ve been cooking all day!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of long or short grain rice (you can use basmati as well)
- 1 cup of vermicelli noodles (you can buy them already broken, or the wheels and you crack them up your self)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of Vegetable Ghee
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 cardamom pods
- 3 1/2 cups of water to cook rice
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well a couple of times until the water runs clear. Soak the rinsed rice in a
bowl of warm water for 15 – 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a non-stick pot on medium heat. Add ghee, cardamom pods, and olive oil. It will
just take a few seconds for the ghee to melt and the cardamom pods to toast. Add the
vermicelli pieces, stirring continuously until they have a golden colour – this will take
less than a minute, so be careful not to let them burn.
- Add the drained rice and keep stirring to coat the rice with ghee and oil and to toast it
lightly (1 – 2 minutes).
- Add water and salt and bring to a light boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for
12 – 15 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed. Do not stir.
- When the rice is cooked, remove the pot from the stove and let it cool, still covered, for
10 minutes. Fluff with a fork onto a serving platter.
- Enjoy the rice as is, or add toasted nuts or chopped fresh parsley.
