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Middle Eastern Rice & Peas with Cucumber Yogurt {Riz ou Bazalaya}

Ingredients

RICE & PEAS

  • 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

CUCUMBER YOGURT

  • 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)

Instructions

RICE & PEAS

  1. 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)
  2. In the meantime sauté the green peas and pine nuts in oil until pine nuts are golden brown and set aside
  3. Take 2 cups of the chicken stock and let it come to a boil
  4. As soon as it boils add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover and set timer for 15 minutes
  5. Let it sit covered for another 5 minutes before removing the cover
  6. I like to brown the chicken by broiling it in the oven for several minutes
  7. To serve; put rice first, chicken, and top with peas and pine nuts
  8. Serve immediately with cucumber yogurt
  9. Enjoy!

CUCUMBER YOGURT

  1. Mix all the ingredients together! As simple as that