Pirinç Pilavı (Buttered Rice Pilaf)

No Turkish meal is complete without pilav, the rice pilaf that appears beside kebabs, stews, and stuffed vegetables alike. Short-grain rice is rinsed and soaked, then cooked gently in butter with a handful of orzo until every grain is separate and glossy. It is the canvas for saucy dishes like kuru fasulye and the quiet star next to grilled meat. A squeeze of lemon in the cooking water keeps the grains distinct, and a rest under a towel makes it perfect.

Fluffy grains, golden butter

Proper Turkish pilav has grains that cling just enough to each other but never clump, each one coated in a thin veil of butter. The toasted orzo adds a nutty note and a little texture, and the rice is tender without being sticky. Soaking the rice is the step people skip, and it is the one that makes the difference. Use a heavy pot with a tight lid and resist the urge to stir once the lid goes on.

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Perfect rice is the foundation here — our How to Cook Perfect Rice Every Time covers ratios, rinsing, and resting.

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