Vermicelli rice is an amazingly popular Middle Eastern side dish that combines toasted vermicelli pasta with long-grain Basmati rice! The flavorful rice side dish is easy to make, extremely versatile, and intensely flavorful. You would never know it only has a few ingredients!
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Instructions
Rinse your rice under cold water for a few minutes until the water runs clear.
Soak rice in a bowl of cold water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a medium to a large stockpot, add olive oil and bring the heat up to medium. When oil is hot add in the vermicelli pasta. Stir it around to "toast it" keep it moving try and not to burn the vermicelli - you are looking for a golden brown look.
When the Vermicelli is toasted, immediately add the drained rice and then stir to combine.
Add enough water to cover the rice and pasta by half an inch (1.25cm), then sprinkle in salt.
Cover and bring the water to a rapid boil. When you reach a rapid boil, reduce the heat down to the lowest setting and continue to cook for 10 minutes. (Do not uncover)
After 10 minutes is up, shut the heat off, do not uncover. Leave covered for another 10 minutes while the rice and pasta continue to cook.
Remove the lid and fluff your rice using a fork. If desired garnish with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Make sure to toast the pine nuts if adding them. Toasting the nuts brings out the oil and changes the flavor. It only takes a few minutes, but it makes a huge difference!
You can toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about three minutes or spread them out on a pan in a 350°F (175°C) oven for five minutes. The latter cooks more evenly but takes a bit longer to wait for the oven to heat up.
Stir and watch closely to keep them from burning. They’re done when they are golden brown. You will also notice a distinct toasted smell. Yum!
Don’t skip the rinsing and soaking of the Basmati. Rinsing removes a naturally occurring layer of starch so the grains don’t stick together when it’s cooked. Soaking starts the water absorption process before you even start cooking. This means less time on the stove, and therefore, better flavor.
Don’t stir the rice while it’s cooking. It’s important to keep the steam in for constant heat. Stirring can often break the rice, ruining the beautiful, long grains.