Hylian rice is a staple across the entire kingdom. Each of the wregions of the kingdom has dishes that include this crop. The Gerudo, though, may have developed some of the best rice dishes in all of Hyrule with their flavorful pilafs. This pilaf in particular gets its flavor from a bouquet of spices that is credited to the Goron, Goron Spice. Hylian rice is simmered in stock with ample amounts of Goron spice along with vegetables and nuts, resulting in a spicy and flavorful rice dish.
“The goron spice used in this pilaf has given it a rich, spicy aroma.”
Ingredients
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
2½ to 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 carrot, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1 cup peas
¼ cup parsley, chopped
½ cup pistachios, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Goron spice
1 tsp salt
Wash the arborio rice in water and let dry in colander. Wash 2 to 3 times to remove a good amount of the starch.
Set a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the pistachios. Do not add any oil or butter; leave the pan dry. Allow the pistachios to toast until brown on each side. Use a spatula to stir them around or toss them in the pan as necessary. It will take 5-8 minutes until they are toasted fully. Do not let them burn; you just want them browned. When they are done, remove the nuts from the pan and reserve them in a bowl.
In a Dutch oven or pan over low-medium heat, add olive oil and and then add the onion and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir. Add the rice along with the Goron Spice and salt. Stir well to fully blend all of the ingredients together and coat the rice in the spices. Add the broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Then add another cup of chicken broth, the bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cook on low until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add ½ cup of chicken broth and the peas. Stir to combine. Cook until the liquid is cooked off. The pilaf should be finished. (If the rice is not done, add 1/2 cup more chicken broth and continue to cook until cooked off). Remove bay leaves, add the toasted pistachios and chopped parsley, and stir.
To serve, scoop a generous portion of the pilaf onto a plate. Sprinkle more chopped parsley over top.
Optional poultry addition:
If you aren’t totally feeling this as a vegetarian main or side dish, here is a way to turn this dish into a main with some added protein. We can convert this dish to a Poultry Curry Pilaf with the simple addition of some seared chicken breast.
Optional poultry addition:
If you aren’t totally feeling this as a vegetarian main or side dish, here is a way to turn this dish into a main with some added protein. We can convert this dish to a Poultry Curry Pilaf with the simple addition of some seared chicken breast.
Ingredients
2-3 chicken breast filets
Salt
Goron Spice
Vegetable oil
2-3 chicken breast filets
Salt
Goron Spice
Vegetable oil
Pat each chicken breast dry and then slice each in half horizontally. Do this by laying the chicken breast flat on a cutting board, find the center of the side, gently press down on the breast with one hand, and cut through the breast horizontally with a carving knife. Make a straight cut through the breast. This will cut each chicken breast into two thinner filets of roughly the same size.
Season each filet with a little salt and a generous portion of Goron spice on each side.
Set a pan over medium heat and add a little vegetable oil. Sear the chicken breast in batches for 4-6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature is 165 °F. Keep the chicken breasts warm in a 200 °F oven if needed when cooking in batches.
To serve, slice a chicken breast into ½ inch slices and serve it a top the curry pilaf.
Learn more about the Curry Pilaf dish from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at Zelda Dungeon.