PILAF - HOW TO MAKE IT
Pilaf is a kind of dish, or rather a cooking technique, for grains, most often rice. It originates from the Middle East, and it is a welcomed alternative to just cooking rice in plain water. The difference is that the rice is first heated, either dry or in oil, and then mixed with hot liquid and cooked either on the stove or in the oven. Pilaf can be made more interesting, just like a risotto, in that it can be cooked in some nice stock, and it can be combined with other ingredients, including aromatic vegetables, seafood, or meat. Rice is not the only grain you can use, why not also try some bulgur or barley, or even lentils. With that said, let's go into details of how to prepare pilaf.
The first step is similar to risotto making, that is you sweat aromatic vegetables (onions, leeks, etc.) along with possibly some other ingredients (seafood, meat) in some oil. Then, the rice is added and fried while stirring continuously. This process has several purposes. When the rice is fried like this, it will become parched - the grains will not stick together when they are cooked, and they will pick up the aromas from the aromatic flavors released by the vegetables in the oil. If you want, you may also add some butter at the end of this step to give even more flavor to the grains. The rice will also become more "nutty" and bity, that is it will acquire some extra nutty flavor and will be more firm once it is cooked. It's all due to chemical processes - high heat affects the starch in a way that creates all the above mentioned qualities of the grains.
In a separate pan, you need to prepare heat up the liquid you are going to use in pilaf. The liquid can be a simple and flavorful stock. You can also substitute half of the stock for some vegetable purée/coulis if you have good quantities of seasonal low-priced veggies at your disposal. You need around 200 mL of liquid for 100 g of rice (6.8 fl oz liquid per 3.5 ounces rice). Remember also that is you add some acidic liquid, like a tomato juice, then the rice will cook slower and the cooking time will have to be increased. Whatever your choice is, pour the hot liquid into the rice, and bring it to a simmer. You may also want to add some additional flavorings at this point, e.g. some fresh herbs or seasonings. Then, stir the grains so you make sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pan, cover the pot with a lid and let the grains cook on low heat on the stove, or in moderate temperature in the oven.
When the rice is cooked, just remove the pilaf from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes, still covered with a lid. This procedure will let the rice absorb the rest of the steam along with any flavors that haven't entered the rice. Then, remove the lid, and stir the rice around with a fork so all the rest of the steam evaporates. Taste the grains and adjust the flavor if necessary. When the rice is cooked, it should of course be tender but there should also be some bite to it. If it's soft and mushy and the grains stick to each other, then you've failed in the first step of cooking or you simply overcooked the rice. If the rice is undercooked it is way too bity. Also, there shouldn't be any water on the bottom of the pot. If all of this has worked, enjoy your pilaf!