Hamsili Pilav Recipe – Turkey Special
- Prep Time1 hr
- Cook Time20 min
- Total Time1 hr 20 min
For The Hamsi Ingredients :
- 500 grams fresh anchovies cleaned & filleted
- butter for greasing your bowl
For The Pilaf Ingredients :
- 1 cup long grain rice we use a standard coffee/tea mug
- 1 onion peeled & finely chopped
- ½ bunch fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 handful currants or raisins
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 dessert spoon dried mint
- 2 large fresh lemons rind & juice of
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon butter for cooking
- salt & pepper for seasoning
For The Pilaf Filling :
Begin by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion.
Stir until the onion starts to soften.
Next, add the pine nuts and stir until they begin to turn golden.
Add the rice and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the lemon rind, currants, allspice, mint, salt, and pepper.
Using the same-sized cup used for measuring rice, add 1½ cups of hot water. Increase the heat to high and bring the rice mixture to a boil.
Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for 8 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it steam, covered, for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, uncover the saucepan and fluff the rice with a fork.
Stir in the lemon juice and dill.
For The Hamsili Pilav :
Preheat the oven to 180°C (150°C for a fan oven).
While the pilaf is steaming, grease the base and edges of an ovenproof dish generously with butter.
Arrange a single layer of anchovy fillets, skin side down, covering the base and edges of the dish. For circular or dome-shaped bowls, you can create circular patterns with the anchovies if desired.
Continue layering anchovy fillets until the base is fully covered without gaps.
Stir the pilaf and carefully place it into the anchovy-lined dish.
As you fill the dish, fold any protruding anchovy fillets inwards towards the center.
Cover the top of the rice with anchovies to completely encase the pilaf.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the hamsili pilaf and place it in the oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
If using a shallow dish, slice and serve the hamsili pilaf directly from the dish like a pie.
For a decorative presentation, place an inverted serving plate over the top of the dish. Holding the plate and dish firmly together, invert them to transfer the hamsili pilaf onto the serving plate.
Tap gently around the dish and carefully lift it to unveil the hamsili pilaf.
Garnish with fresh lemon slices and sprigs of dill before serving.
Recipe Note :
As with all our recipes, calorie counts are provided as a general reference.
In Turkey, baldo pirinç is traditionally used for this dish, but we found that jasmine rice also worked nicely.
The oven baking time constitutes the cooking stage for the hamsili pilav. The preparation time includes cooking the pilaf. When using a single dish for preparing hamsili pilav, it serves three to four people, depending on portion sizes.
