Recipe: Home-Style Brown Rice Pilaf (with carrots, mushrooms, chick peas, and nuts)

HOME-STYLE BROWN RICE PILAF

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 eggs, beaten
Freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
20 toasted cashews or almonds, coarsely chopped
Soy sauce

In a saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil, and add the rice. Bring the contents back to a boil, cover the pan, and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

About 20 minutes before the rice is done, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute, stirring frequently, until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and the carrots, and continue to saute, stirring often, for 5 more minutes.

Add the mushrooms, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are beginning to brown.

Add the chickpeas, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

When the rice is ready and you are ready to eat, pour the eggs into the skillet, and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the eggs are just set, about 2 minutes.

Take the egg-mushroom mixture off the heat, and stir in the pepper, the parsley or cilantro, and the cashews or almonds. Add the cooked hot rice, and stir well. Serve the pilaf along with soy sauce for adding at the table.

"The kind of rice you use is up to you - long- or short-grain brown rice, brown basmati rice, wehani rice - any of these will do. You can even, use 2 cups of reheated leftover rice."

Servings: 4
Source: Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons