I don’t usually cook with long grain rice because it takes so long to make. But when a friend of mine moved and gave me the remains of her kitchen, she left me with an indiscriminate container of a mystery long grain rice that I simply felt I couldn’t put to waste. (Was it brown basmati? We’ll never know.) This dish is very filling and incorporates a nice variety of textures, from crunchy to soft to chewy. Don’t be afraid to mix and match the dried fruit and nuts to your liking!

First up in the pan: a brief saute.

Add the rice…

Into the pot to await some water.

Long Grain Rice with Dried Fruit and Pistachios

Not your average rice:

• 2 cups long grain rice, soaked in water for at least an hour, rinsed, and drained
• 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice, such as apricot or cranberry, chopped small
• 1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped small
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp of your favorite buttery spread (optional–this makes it a bit creamier)

Add the onions, fruit, coconut oil, garlic, tomato paste, and spices to a frying pan and cook on high until the onion becomes translucent. Then add the rice to the pan, stir it in evenly, and cook the mixture on medium heat for another 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the contents of the pan to a large pot along with 4 cups of hot water. Stir the rice mixture into the water, cover the pot, and cook the contents on high heat until the water boils. Turn the heat down to medium once it does, and cook the contents–with the cover still on–until all of the water is absorbed (about 25-30 minutes). Try not to lift the lid of the pot while it cooks!

Once the water is absorbed, the rice should be fully cooked. Add the pistachios to the rice along with the spread, mix well to combine, and you’re ready to go! This recipe makes about 4 servings.