This aromatic, nutty, satisfying rice dish pairs well with all meats and fish with a Mediterranean flavor profile. Any leftovers can be turned into a side salad with the addition of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, feta cheese, chopped mint and basil, and a splash of salad dressing.

Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf

Serves 4

2 cups water
1 cup basmati rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ red onion, thin sliced
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon sumac
1 tablespoon Italian parsley or mint, finely minced

Directions

1. Bring the water to boil in a small pot with the salt and butter. Add rice, cover, and turn down the heat to a bare simmer. Cook until water is absorbed, approximately 15 to 18 minutes.

2. While rice cooks, heat a small cast iron skillet. Add olive oil and sliced red onions. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring with a fork, until onions are caramelized. Remove from skillet with the fork, placing in a small bowl and leaving excess oil in pan. Add cumin seeds to the pan and toast until fragrant and slightly brown, about 1 minute. Remove cumin seeds with a slotted spoon, placing them in the bowl with the onions, and leaving excess oil in the pan.

3. Add garbanzo beans to skillet along with the turmeric, ground cumin, and sumac. If pan seems too dry, add a pat of butter. Over a high temperature, slightly toast the garbanzos, stirring to keep spices from burning. When deeply golden, add to onion bowl.

4. Mince parsley and add to bowl. When rice is done, remove from heat and add onion-garbanzo bean mixture to the rice. Fluff with a fork and recover. Let rice sit a few minutes before plating. Drizzle tahini sauce over the rice or spoon sauce alongside the rice. This is excellent served with the crispy fried fish (recipe above).

Tahini Dip/Sauce

Makes 1 cup 

1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon za’atar
2 tablespoons Italian parsley

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a mini blender and purée until creamy. Taste and adjust ingredients as desired. You want this thick for the dip. For a sauce, taste and, with the blender running, slowly add either additional olive oil or hot water to taste.