"Dimitri" > wrote in message
news :
: "Rick Kunkel" > wrote in message
: news : > Hello all. Tonight for dinner, I threw some water, rice, and a
: > chicken breast in pan to cook. About halfway through the rice
: > cooking, I threw in some (all finely diced or minced) carrots, celery,
: > potatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and onion. Also, a bay leaf. After it
: > was done, I finely chopped the now-cooked chicken breast, mixed it
: > back in with the other stuff, and stuffed the mixture in warm pocket
: > bread. It was supposed to be kind of a quickie budget piroshky or
: > something like that.
: >
: > Anyhow, my question revolves around suggested spicing. I added some
: > chicken base, salt, pepper, and curry seasoning to this batch, but it
: > just seemed a little blandish or something.
: >
: > Does anyone have any suggestions for what I could have used? What are
: > typical Russian spices? Heck, what do you call the area that's kind
: > of southwestern Russia? Asian Minor? The Near East? Anyhow...
: > yeah... typical of that region.
: >
: > Thanks,
: >
: > Rick
:
:
: You actually started backwards.
:
: Next time:
:
: 1. Add some oil to the pan and cook (brown) the chicken.
: 2. About 1/2 way through add the minced carrot onion celery and garlic.
: 3. When the vegetables are soft add the rice and sauté for a minute or two.
: 4. Now add the water bay leaf salt and pepper.
:
: You will notice a substantial difference in flavor. Now you can start spiking
: the flavors.
:
yes he will, but if he wants to add more flavour (spices) then:

heat oil and add onions to cook on medium heat until golden.
Add a little of any of the following spices:
cardamom, cassia, cloves, nutmeg/mace.
Add garlic/fresh root ginger/chillies
Add chicken and brown
Add carrot and celery, and other spices, such as coriander/cumin seed
Then add rice, and chilli powder, and/or turmeric
Add boiling water /stock to cover rice by 1/2 inch, and saffron (if no turmeric)
Cover pan with very tight fitting lid, and heat on slowest setting (or in cool
oven) for twenty minutes, do not raise lid.
Result: the best pilau you will ever taste. (salt to taste after it is cooked!)
cheers
Wazza