Rice Pilaf With Pumpkin, Currants and Pine Nuts Recipe (2024)

For those who have a tree nut allergy, pumpkin or sunflower seeds work just as well as the pine nuts (and are also less expensive).

Turkish cooks making this traditional pumpkin pilaf years ago would not have used chicken stock, and most wouldn't use it now either. Pilafs in Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and elsewhere are made with water. Industrialization and factory farming of poultry, resulting in canned chicken soup, changed some patterns of cooking, especially for Americans. Want to make this the way cooks in Turkey do? Use water.

Entire dinner in which this recipe appeared will be our Thanksgiving this year. A note in advance for others regarding a very good source for excellent Turkish variety pine nuts at the on-line shop of Maureen Abood. I used these in multiple dishes and found them the best. https://maureenaboodmarket.com/collections/our-best-sellers/products/extra-large-pine-nuts I had pine-nut-mouth several years using the "bin brand" ones, mostly from China, and I'm now very choosy about pine nuts.

I have always made perfect long grain rice using a ratio of 2 cups of rice to one cup of water. And so I am always puzzled by recipes like this, which call for a whole cup less of water than I would normally use. However, I followed the recipe. The result? CRUNCHY undercooked (albeit tasty) rice. Why, NYT, why?? This would have been a great dish. The flavors were delicious. And it will be the next time I make it - with the correct amount of water.

Disaster. Did not work with arborio rice. I followed the recipe to the letter. There was a hard dry uncooked layer of rice on top.

Yes, peel the hard outer rind from any squash being used here and then cut into chunks.

Turkish people use baldo rice not bomba.

Turned out pretty good using Basmati rice. Used the 3 cups of water and the rice came out aldente and slightly toasted on the bottom, great for a pilaf. Planning to double the spices next time.

I made this using 4 cups of vegetable broth, olive oil instead of butter, pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts and it came out perfect. I had lots of pumpkin left over and made a pumpkin curry to accompany the pilaf.

Added 4 cups of water and it needed 5 just did catch it before it stuck but it lacks any deep flavor just another rice dish I won’t make this again

Has anybody made this the day before? How have you reheated?

Fan of Tanis' recipes and in particular rice, but think there may be an error in this that results in what some report as 'crunchy' rice, etc. That is if using Bomba or Arborio (or Caranoli which is Aborio-type) since rice to liquid ratio for those is 1 part to 3 parts (because they absorb more than a long grain like basmati) you need to use 1C rice here for best outcome. We used 1 C Carnaroli, the rest of recipe as written except reduced butter by half. 20 min cook + 15 rest = Perfect

I made this pretty much as written, using vegetable broth, jasmine rice, and kabocha squash. The timing was correct. It was good, if a little bland, so next time I will increase the amount of squash - maybe even double it. I'll also add a little Aleppo pepper just to give it some zip. Sad side note: I made a beautiful salad to go with it, and just as we sat down to eat we learned of the latest romaine lettuce recall...so the salad had to go in the garbage.

David Tanis is loving rice recipes lately, but no complaints here since this was absolutely delicious. The sum is definitely greater than its parts and the whole thing was quick and easy to put together. Our rice (arborio) was also a bit crunchy, but we just let it continue steaming with the lid on for another 30-45 minutes and then it was perfect. Using homemade chicken broth is key! And do not skip the butter. So, so good. 4.5 stars.

Crunchy rice for me too - using Basmati. I think next time I'll add 4 cups of broth and set the heat at medium-low as if I was cooking rice normally. Tastes very yummy - it's a shame about the rice.

Made this in Turkey, as a Turkish cook. Used Baldo rice, which is the most common here. I used beef stock, but almost all recipes call for chicken stock. Replaced pine nuts with pumpkin seeds, replaced evoo with a mixture of non-virgin and butter (butter is the most common choice; evoo is almost solely used for eggplant rice, which can also be served cold or at room temperature). Nothing like anything I've ever tasted in Turkey, but delicious!

Arborio worked for me. I kept the temperature quite low and the chicken broth was simmering when I added it.

Ack!! I meant a ratio of two cups of water to one cup of rice.

I have always made perfect long grain rice using a ratio of 2 cups of rice to one cup of water. And so I am always puzzled by recipes like this, which call for a whole cup less of water than I would normally use. However, I followed the recipe. The result? CRUNCHY undercooked (albeit tasty) rice. Why, NYT, why?? This would have been a great dish. The flavors were delicious. And it will be the next time I make it - with the correct amount of water.

I used Arborio rice and had no problems (see Ker's comment). Perhaps it needed more stock. I used 2/3 C rice to 1 1/2 C squash (Delicata, no need to peel), with one can of chicken broth (14 oz.) for a vegetarian main dish. Very interesting alternative to my usual risotto!

Has anyone attempted to make this with a rice cooker?