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–+ servings
Beef Pilau with Kachumbari salad.

East African Beef Pilau with Fresh Kachumbari

Keesha
This Swahili pilau is rich, aromatic, and bursting with flavor. A hearty one-pot rice dish that’s as comforting as it is delicious.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine African
Servings 6
Calories 483 kcal

Ingredients
  

FOR THE BEEF:

  • 1 lb Beef cut into stewing chunks
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 Bird’s eye chili
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup Water

FOR PILAU SPICES:

  • 2 cinnamon sticks, Crushed
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, Crushed
  • 1 teaspoon cloves, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

FOR THE PILAU:

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 4 Irish potatoes skin removed and quartered
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 carrot julienned
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 1 cuo green peas
  • 1 teaspoon pilau spices
  • salt to taste
  • 2 cups basmati rice

FOR KACHUMBARI:

  • 1 cucumber sliced, skin removed
  • 1 green Bell Pepper julienned
  • 2 tomatoes sliced
  • 1 onion sliced
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon Juice

Instructions
 

Prepare the Kachumbari

  • In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Toss gently, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cook the Beef

  • In a medium pot, combine beef, ginger, lemon juice, turmeric, chili, and salt. Add water, bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Drain, remove the chili, and set the broth aside.

Start the Pilau

  • In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the beef and cumin seeds, stirring until fragrant.
  • Stir in potatoes and cook until browned on the outside. Add garlic, then carrots, cooking until lightly browned. Add onions and peas, cooking until just tender.
  • Add the pilau spice blend and coat the beef and vegetables well.
  • Stir in the rice and beef, then pour in the reserved beef broth. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
  • In Kenya and Tanzania, pilau is often slow-cooked over coal stoves. Coals are placed under the pot and on the lid to evenly cook the rice for up to 1 hour.
  • Fluff the pilau with a fork and serve hot with chilled kachumbari on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 portionCalories: 483kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 22gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 1200mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2230IUVitamin C: 67mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 4mg
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