Green Rice Pilau with Cashews

This is a delicious and balanced rice pilau dish makes a great meal after a long day at work. In order to spice up this meal and to make it even healthier, we have decided to add cashews to it.

Powers of Pilau

Cashews or cashew nuts are rich in many nutrients that are crucial for the proper functioning of our body, e.g., phosphorus, magnesium, tryptophan, manganese, and copper. They contribute to the proper development of connective tissues and bones and for the proper management of energy. Tryptophan is an amino acid that supports the creation of serotonin, a hormone that promotes proper sleep and good mood. As previously mentioned, cashews are a great source of phosphorus and this an essential mineral good for the teeth. Phosphorus has proven to be good for the optimization of the work of kidneys too. Finally, cashew nuts contain a lot of magnesium, which is involved in more than 300 reactions in the body. Magnesium deficiency is a real plight of Americans leading to mitral valve prolapse, muscle cramping, PMS, anxiety, hypertension, fatigue, to name a few.

This rice pilau recipe also contains spinach, which can be replaced with watercress. Since these two ingredients have similar content, we will analyze their health benefits together. Spinach/watercress contains a large amount of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, manganese, magnesium, folate, vitamin E, calcium, riboflavin, potassium, omega 3 fatty acids and many other nutrients. Both can help support vision and prevent cataracts and premature aging, stabilize blood pressure, support the work of the liver, lower the risk of heart attacks, strengthen the immune system, heal ulcers and bring many other health benefits. On top of that, watercress, unlike spinach, belongs to the brassica (cabbage) family, and therefore has more formidable protection from cancer.

What is a Rice Pilau?

Pilau, also known as pilaf, represents a dish in which cooked rice is found in a seasoned broth and is often used in Middle Eastern cuisine but also in Balkan, Caribbean, Latin American, East African and South Asian cuisine too.

Enjoy this delicious rice pilau recipe! Looking for more recipes with functional nutrition benefits? We have many more on the recipe blog here!

**To learn how to get rid of arsenic in rice, read more here.

Green Rice Pilau with Cashews

November 1, 2016

by Kasia Kines

Category Main Course Main Dish Member Recipes Recipes Side Dish Vegetable Side Dish

Persons

6

Cook Time

1 hour, 10 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 10 minutes

Notes

*To learn how to get rid of arsenic in rice, read more here.

Ingredients

• 7 ½ ounces baby spinach or watercress
• 1 cup of cashew nuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 7 spring onions, chopped
• 1 ¾ cup long grain brown rice*
• ½-1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• ½ teaspoon dill
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cups of vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Shred the baby spinach leaves. Place the cashew nuts on a baking tray and roast for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown—watch carefully. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the spring onion over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the rice, garlic and fennel seeds and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, or until the rice is evenly coated. Increase the heat to high, add the lemon juice, stock and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the spinach, dill, and the herbs, and add some honey if needed. Leave covered, for 8 minutes, then fork the spinach and herbs through the rice. Season. Serve sprinkled with cashews.

https://kasiakines.com/green-rice-pilau-cashews/

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