Middle Eastern Rice and Peas with Cucumber Yogurt {Riz ou bazalaya} is so perfect because the protein, veggies, and grains are all in one dish and it tastes amazing!
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I’m eating this dish as I type this post, and I forgot how much I love it! Miss no appetite ever Ayla is asking for more and I’m sitting here wondering why I don’t make this more often!
It’s SO easy.
Is everyone sick of me saying everything is SO easy haha.
But seriously,
It is.
Like if you can boil water you can make this dish. But the best part about this meal is the cucumber mint yogurt served on the side.
SO FRIGGIN GOOD and SO FRIGGIN EASY.
On a separate note, I took a personality test today. I know it sounds like I’m a weirdo lol but it was one of those emails that every one of my friends took and we talked about the results and the analyzation and mine was so accurate, actually all of them were creepily accurate! My analysis said I like to inspire people and I couldn’t agree more.
I really hope my recipes and dishes inspire someone, anyone, to explore Syrian and Middle Eastern cuisine. I was always so intimidated because I saw my grandmother spend allllll day cooking and I assumed it was such a time consuming style of cooking but its actually not that bad! My grandmother and mother were just cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for an entire tribe basically! Anyway if anyone wants to take the test its at www.16personalities.com and mine is ENFP. If you take it please comment and let me know what you got, it’s so much fun! I feel like I know myself a lot better now, and who doesn’t want that.
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb chicken (I used boneless chicken thigh for this one)
- 1 cup sweet green peas
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (or substitute slivered almonds)
- 1 t olive oil
- 2 cups yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber shredded (1/4 cup)
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- A lot of salt ( cucumbers are very watery and they'll water the sauce down so compensate by adding more salt than usual)
- Boil chicken in water covered for 35 minutes (I also add bay leaves, onions, cardamon, cloves, black whole pepper, salt and cinnamon stick. Feel free to add all or some for more flavorful chicken stock)
- In the meantime sauté the green peas and pine nuts in oil until pine nuts are golden brown and set aside
- Take 2 cups of the chicken stock and let it come to a boil
- As soon as it boils add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover and set timer for 15 minutes
- Let it sit covered for another 5 minutes before removing the cover
- I like to brown the chicken by broiling it in the oven for several minutes
- To serve; put rice first, chicken, and top with peas and pine nuts
- Serve immediately with cucumber yogurt
- Enjoy!
- Mix all the ingredients together! As simple as that
I love green peas! This looks wonderful! I’m putting the ingredients on my shopping list for this week. Never mind that the husband doesn’t share my love of peas … he does tolerate them!
When you say "alot" of salt … how much do you estimate that would be?
lol peas are so good how can he not love them! I would just add salt to taste. I end up doubling the amount I would normally put in. Let me know how it turns out!
What a simple, healthy recipe! Sounds delicious!
thank you!
This is my kind of meal! Lots of flavour, and so simple…..yummo
yay! glad you like it!
So much to like here. Easy, healthy and great flavors, and I can already tell that the yogurt sauce is going to be addictive! 🙂
The yogurt sauce is SO good and refreshing! Let me know if you try it!
I love this style of food. Simple but really delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Simple and delicious is my favorite too!
This is the kind of dish I love! Peas with rice and creamy cucumber yogurt sauce – heaven!
Thank you! =)
I love middle eastern food and this looks really, really good. I also like the fact that it’s such an easy recipe. Btw I love the cucumber yogurt sauce, I make a similar one too! 🙂
Ya easy recipes are the best! How do you make your cucumber sauce?
This looks great, something a little different. I also love middle eastern food, so healthy. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the kind words! Let me know if you end up trying it!
You are right, this is so easy! Loved the mixture of the basic yet rich flavors…definitely will be making this regularly!
so glad to hear that!! :):)
Nadia, I just came upon your blog and website and loved your ideas and presentation! You had a picture of fig pies with a cutout design; where can I get that recipe?
Thank you!
Farah
Hi Farah! Thanks for stopping by and thank you for the kind words! I don’t have a recipe posted but I should, the fig jam filling is so good. I did use ready made mini pie crust and filled it with the fig jam filling and then used mini cut outs to make the shapes on top. I’ll try to get that post up soon! xo