Beef Pilau - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

Beef Pilau or Beef Pilaf /Plov made with basmati rice and potatoes, and cooked in beef stock and aromatic spices, a hearty dinner recipe that is incredibly fragrant and delicious. The rice is fluffy and cooked to perfection, while the beef and potatoes are tender and nicely spiced. A fantastic one-pot recipe that cooks in no time.

That I like pilau rice is surely an understatement, I absolutely love it! It's wonderfully spiced, without it being overly spicy and overpowering. My simple pilau rice recipe is the perfect side dish for any Asian/Middle Easter dish.

But adding beef and potatoes to it makes it incredibly hearty, and transforms the simple side to a hearty main course that can be enjoyed with everyone in the family.

I used sirloin steak as it cooks quickly and it's incredibly tender and flavourful, and it didn't disappoint. And what makes the difference between an okayish dish and a restaurant-style one is the spices used.

I can't think of a better combo of spices for this dish: cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, chilli, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. If by themselves they are fragrant, together they are a superpower.

Ingredients used

• basmati rice - it cooks quickly and the grains stay nicely separated
• sirloin minute steak - it's tender and cooks quickly
• potatoes - any kind you have
• onion - I used a large onion, if you have smaller ones, use two
• garlic and ginger
• salt & pepper
• tomato paste - gives the dish a sweet touch and colour
• beef stock - broth
• oil - vegetable oil is great for this dish
• bay leaves - adds more flavour, can be omitted if you haven't got any
• spices: cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, chilli powder, star anise

Step-by-step photos and instructions

• Peel and chop the potatoes into chunks and add them to a pan of salted water to cook until tender
• Add the spices to a frying pan and toss for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then add them to a spice blender and blend to a fine powder
• In a separate large pan, heat up the oil, and the beef cut into chunks, season well with salt and pepper, and brown
• When the beef is seared, remove it from the pan and set aside
• In the same pan, add more oil if necessary, peel and chop the onion julienne, and fry it on a low to medium heat until golden

• When the onion is ready, add the peeled and chopped garlic and ginger together with the spices and leave it to cook for 30 seconds to release their flavour
• Add the tomato paste and bay leaves, and give it a good stir
• Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear, then add it to the pan together with the beef and cooked potatoes
• Pour in the beef stock, place a lid on the pan, and leave it to cook until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through
• Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Expert tips

You can use regular stewing beef too, but that would take a lot longer to cook, and you will need more beef stock/broth and possibly more spices.

Once the onion is golden, add the spices and tomato paste to it, add the seared beef chunks back to the pan, and pour over enough beef stock to cover everything.

Cook with the lid on until the beef is tender - you might have to add more stock depending on how tender the beef is at this stage. Once the beef is cooked, then you can add the cooked potatoes and rice, and follow the next steps.

Do not add the potatoes from the beginning, as they will disintegrate and their starch will make the dish very sticky.

If you do not have a spice blender, or whole spices, you can use regular ground spices. I love the whole ones as they are more fragrant when tossed, but whatever you have around should do.

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