Lebanese Rice

 Lebanese rice is a rice pilaf composed of long-grain white rice, vermicelli noodles, and butter or olive oil (or a combination of both). Usually, all I season anything with is salt.  With just three ingredients—rice, vermicelli noodles, and olive oil—I make this Lebanese rice, a traditional Middle Eastern (Arabic) side dish.

But on occasion, I also enjoy adding a little bit of cinnamon, either before or after cooking. After that, I add toasted nuts like almonds and/or pine nuts as a garnish. Middle Eastern rice or Arabic rice are two prevalent names for this rice dish. It is a typical (and conceivably the most well-liked) side dish there. 

Buglama – Traditional Lamb Stew

Although we frequently serve it alongside meat dishes like kofta and shawarma, we also use it as a base to go along with many of our stews. In my home, we typically eat it that way. It is versatile, fluffy, and nutty—basically my absolute weakness for carbohydrates.

INGREDIENTS

▢3 cups long grain white rice

▢1 cup vermicelli durum wheat semolina

▢3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

▢½ teaspoon salt

▢dash cinnamon optional

▢parsley optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the rice in cold water until the water is completely clear. Drain thoroughly and put aside.
2. Olive oil should be heated over medium heat in a medium nonstick pot. Vermicelli pasta should be added and cooked with continuous turning until it is all a rich golden brown color. Make sure not to burn it.
3. Place the cooked vermicelli on top of the rice, then toss to incorporate and coat the rice with the olive oil. If preferred, season with a little salt and cinnamon.
   

   Dark greens and noodles with yogurt

4. Bring the mixture to a boil after adding 4 cups of water. During the process, the water will decrease. Cook for 15 minutes on low heat with the lid on the pot.
5. Remove the rice from the fire when it is finished cooking and let it steam for 5 minutes. With a fork, uncover and fluff the dish.
6. If preferred, garnish with roasted nuts and serve warm with fresh parsley.

NOTES

1. Keep any leftovers sealed in a container. In the refrigerator, they’ll keep for around 5-7 days.
2. Vermicelli pasta can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets, natural foods stores, or even big-box supermarkets; these places frequently have them near other Middle Eastern goods.
3. Using the recipe exactly as written will yield the best results. However, you can substitute capellini pasta, which is thinner than spaghetti, if you can’t find vermicelli pasta, by simply breaking it into smaller pieces. Given that the size is so much bigger, I wouldn’t recommend using spaghetti.