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Lebanese rice with vermicelli in a glass serving bowl.

Lebanese Rice

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup rice well washed
  • 1.5 cups water
  • Vermicelli
  • 1 spoon oil
  • 1 spoon butter
  • Lebanese bread optional, for resting

Method
 

  1. Wash the rice well and drain.
  2. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan. Add the vermicelli and stir until golden brown.
  3. Add the washed rice, then the water, using 1½ cups water for every cup of rice.
  4. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for about 15 minutes. Mum listens for a gentle sizzle as the water finishes absorbing: that is her cue to turn off the heat.
  5. Once the heat is off, lay Lebanese bread directly over the rice, or cover the pot with a clean tea towel and replace the lid. If using a towel, move the pot off the hot burner first.
  6. Leave to rest for 10–15 minutes, then fluff gently and serve.

Notes

Mum’s recipe, mastered by Olga. Mum measures the oil and butter by the spoon and adds vermicelli by eye. The spoon size and vermicelli quantity were not specified in the family recipe. Keep the rice-to-water ratio at 1:1½.