Egyptian Cuisine Basics: Rice with Vermicelli

One basic Egyptian dish you will find on almost any dinner table is rice with vermicelli (Roz bil shaareyya). This is considered the normal way to make rice, and you will find that most Egyptians make plain white rice only for specific dishes.

The browning of the vermicelli gives the rice a nice nutty taste. I love the contrast from the little brown flecks in between the white grains of rice.

As mentioned before, Egyptian dishes use short-grain rice, also known as Calrose rice. I have seen this been done with long grain rice, as well as Basmati, but I prefer the short grain. The rice is best eaten with stews or with Mousaka, instead of the traditional bread.

Ingredients:

2 cups white short-grain rice

2 ½ cups water

1 tsp salt

1tsp butter

1tsp oil (or just use 2 tsp of butter and omit the oil)

1/2 cup vermicelli

Preparation:

Wash the rice and set aside.

Heat the oil and the butter; add in the vermicelli and the salt. Allow the vermicelli to brown, while stirring. Be careful not to burn it.

Add in the washed rice, give it a stir, and then add in the water. The water should just cover the rice; you will need to adjust the water amounts based on the type of rice you are using.

Cover the rice. Allow to cook for 30 mins on low heat, without stirring. When done, mix with a wooden fork to prevent clumping.

Enjoy!

Are you a short-grain lover or do you prefer long-grain rice?