Brown Rice Mushroom Pilau (Vegan Pilau)

We’ve been having this particular dish at least twice a month for close to two years now. The first time I made it I was definitely skeptical but we all did enjoy it a lot! What a nice way to enjoy pilau without meat! I already have another pilau recipe on the blog Brown Rice Mbuzi Pilau which also is always a hit whenever we want some meat. Feel free to check it out.

Vegan Pilau

This particular Mushroom pilau has been perfected over the years and am glad to be finally sharing it with you. Am sure you must have read this in my previous blogs; whole foods are the greatest fuel to your body since nothing has been stripped off them unlike the other processed foods. In this particular case, am referring to brown rice which has all the original nutrients rice should have before been processed to white rice. Some of these particular benefits that brown rice has over white rice are that it has more fiber and antioxidants, as well as a lot more important vitamins and minerals.

Let’s get cooking:

You basically need a few ingredients to have this meal on the table. The other good thing about it is that it is a one pot meal. Everything you need is as on the photo below plus water and cooking oil.

Start by chopping your mushrooms, dicing the onions and washing your rice. You can soak the rice in warm water once washed as you start cooking to allow it cook faster. (If at all costs you don’t fancy brown rice, you can as well used white rice but reduce the amount of water while cooking to a ratio of 1 cup rice to 2 cups water.)

On a large cooking pot/ sufuria, add in the cooking oil and onions. Let them cook till they are slightly browned.

Add in the pilau masala to cook for a minute.

Add in the cremini mushrooms and stir them till well combined with the onions. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes. They will release their own moisture as they cook.

After the 5 minutes, add in the rice and mix as well then let it toast for a minute or two. (Remember to season with salt & pepper)

Once toasted, add in the water, cover and let boil. Once it starts to boil, remove the lid and let it simmer on medium to low heat till well done.

Serve with an accompaniment of your choice. Goes very well with my purple cabbage salad or sautéed cabbage or even a salsa (kachumbari).

Ingredients

500g cremini mushrooms*
3-4 tbsn cooking oil
2- 3 large onions
1 tbsp pilau masala
2 cups brown rice
4 1/2 cups cold water
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

On a large cooking pot/ sufuria, add in the cooking oil and onions. Let them cook till they are slightly browned.
Add in the pilau masala to cook for a minute.
Add in the cremini mushrooms and stir them till well combined with the onions. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes. They will release their own moisture as they cook.
After the 5 minutes, add in the rice and mix as well then let it toast for a minute or two. (Remember to season with salt & pepper)
Once toasted, add in the water, cover and let boil. Once it starts to boil, remove the lid and let it simmer on medium to low heat till well done.
Serve with an accompaniment of your choice. Goes very well with my purple cabbage salad or sautéed cabbage or even a salsa (kachumbari).

Note:

You can use button mushrooms or portobello mushrooms since they are one and the same thing just different in age. Cooking time might differ though. Button mushrooms are white in colour and are the youngest just as toddlers; cremini mushrooms are brown in colour and a bit older just like teenagers whereas portobellos are also brown in colour but much larger just as the adults

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I know you’re going to love this Brown Rice Mushroom Pilau . Please rate this recipe below (After you’ve made it, of course). Remember to like, share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! Enjoy!