Authentic Swahili Beef Pilau| How to Make Brown Pilau | Miss Kabaki (2024)

If you’ve been to any Kenyan event and there was no pilau on the menu, then you know they’re not doing it right. Authentic Swahili beef pilau is a common traditional dish in most of our festivities and it comprises of a well seasoned rice dish with Swahili spices and served with either beef, goat or chicken as a protein.

This recipe is created in Partnership with Pure Mountain Canola Oil. Their selection of Canola oils are healthy and flavorful, perfect for both cooking and dipping. They range from Pure Canola Oil, Herb Infused and Chilli Infused canola oil. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. Thank you for supporting the brands I work with that make it possible to create recipes at Miss Kabaki.

WHAT MAKES SWAHILI BEEF PILAU AUTHENTIC

Pilau is a common swahili dish from Kenya and Tanzania. It is made from rice that has been cooked in spices like, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom while browning the onions, and it is this browning of onions that gives the pilau that brown color. You can use either beef, goat or chicken as meat options and the authentic way of serving it is with kachumbari, a mix of tomatoes and onions.

The holiday season is around the corner and we all know a lot of pilau will be made. In this blog post I’ll show you how to make beef pilau authentic the Swahili way. So let’s dive into it.

INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE SWAHILI BEEF PILAU

1. Basmati rice. I normally use Basmati rice as the base for the pilau. It’s naturally fragrant and tends to absorb spices and flavors very well. You’re free to use any type of rice that’s available to you but I highly recommend trying basmati rice. Make sure to wash the rice thoroughly.
2. Beef meat. This is a beef pilau and I’ll be using beef as my meat option. You want to boil the beef beforehand to save on time and also keep the broth as we’ll use it later. Boil your beef in garlic and ginger for flavor.
3. Pilau Masala Spice. You can definitely make this at home which I recommend. You’d need the following spices. Then use about a teaspoon in the pilau.
   • Cumin
   • Cardamom
   • Cloves
   • Black peppercorn
   • Cinnamon sticks
4. Onions. You’ll need lots of diced onions. The more the better. Onions are the game changer to how your Pilau will turn out. They’re also the secret to having brown pilau. I recommend using red onions and not spring onions.
5. Pure Mountain Herb Infused Canola Oil. You’ll definitely need cooking oil to make this pilau. I highly recommend using this Canola oil from Pure Mountain as it is infused with rosemary, thyme and black pepper which will add more flavor to the pilau. Don’t be shy with the oil when frying the onions and by using canola oil this is a healthier option to vegetable oils. Canola oil is rich in Omega 3,6 & 9, high in vitamin E and antioxidants and since it’s rich in monounsaturated it’s a healthy option.
6. Potatoes. These are OPTIONAL but authentic Swahili pilau requires to have potatoes. Keep them big and whole.
7. Garlic. What’s food without garlic? You’ll need some garlic when boiling the meat and when cooking the pilau.
8. Beef broth or Water. While boiling your meat save some broth and if it’s not enough add some water. Use this broth and water to cook the rice.

STEP BY STEP DIRECTION ON MAKING AUTHENTIC SWAHILI PILAU

HOW TO MAKE BROWN PILAU

Before making some pilau make sure you’ve boiled your beef and saved the broth. Also make the pilau masala by toasting the whole spices mentioned above on an ungreased pan for about 2 minutes until fragrant. This helps release oils and makes for good fresh pilau masala. You’ll then need to grind the spices using a blender. If you’re not making your own masala, you can definitely use pre-made one. Once you have these two ready we can begin.

1. In a large pot, add some Pure Mountain Herb Infused Canola oil and chopped onions. You’ll need to fry the onions until brown. Be careful not to burn the onions. This is the secret to making brown pilau and you want to take time while doing this.
2. Next we add the garlic and our whole potatoes. You’ll notice the brown color on the potatoes as you keep stirring and this means you’ve done the onions justice! Add your pilau masala here and stir. let everything cook for a few minutes covered but be careful not to let it burn, then add the precooked beef. Keep stirring.
3. The next step is to add the saved broth and some water and washed rice. The decision on how much broth and water to add depends on how much rice you want to use. Rule of thumb is 2:1, 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. This is also the secret to fluffy rice so you need to measure your rice. Stir everything to make sure its evenly distributed. Let this cook while covered on high heat until the water almost evaporates.
4. When the rice looks like it’s almost done, cover with aluminum foil and reduce heat to low, let it simmer for 10 minutes. This is also a good time to make the kachumbari.

SIMPLE KACHUMBARI RECIPE USING PURE MOUNTAIN RASPBERRY SALAD DRESSING

INGREDIENTS

1. Tomatoes
2. Onion
3. Pure Mountain Raspberry salad dressing
4. Salt & Pepper
5. Dhania (to garnish)

Chop onion, tomatoes and dhania into small dices, add them into a large bowl and combine. Season with salt and pepper then drizzle Pure Mountain raspberry salad dressing. Serve with pilau.

IMPORTANT TIPS AND TRICKS

1. Pre-boil your meat with garlic and ginger for flavor and save the broth.
2. Use a 2:1 ration of water to rice to get fluffy rice
3. Cover the pilau with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes to contain all the flavors and for the top part to cook evenly.
4. Enjoy this authentic Swahili pilau with some kachumbari drizzled in some raspberry dressing.

I hope you find this recipe easy to follow and you enjoy making it. Let me know down below what other ingredients you add to your pilau.

Looking for different ways to use Pure Mountain products especially their dry legumes check out these recipes;

1. LUPIN BEAN STEW
2. CHICKPEA SHAKSHUKA
3. MUKIMO RECIPE USING SPLIT PEAS