Definition

Noun A dish of rice (or sometimes another grain) cooked in a seasoned broth, typically with added ingredients such as onions, vegetables, poultry, meat, or seafood. The cooking method allows the rice to absorb the flavorful liquid.

Usage

"Pilaf" is a countable noun referring to a specific prepared dish. It is often served as a main course or a side dish. * For dinner, she prepared a delicious chicken pilaf. * The menu featured a vegetarian pilaf with roasted vegetables. * We ordered two pilafs to share with the grilled meat.

Advanced Usage

• As a culinary term: In professional cooking, "pilaf" refers specifically to a technique where rice is first sautéed in fat before being simmered in a measured amount of broth until the liquid is fully absorbed.
  • The chef demonstrated the classic pilaf method to the culinary students.

Variants and Related Words

• Pilau / Pilaw: Alternative spellings for the same dish.
  • The recipe for lamb pilau is traditional in that region.

Synonyms

• Rice dish: A general term for any prepared dish where rice is the main ingredient.
• Pulao: A very similar dish from South Asian cuisines, often considered a direct cognate.

Different Meanings

The word "pilaf" has a single, specific meaning related to food. It does not have other common definitions.

Noun

1. rice cooked in well-seasoned broth with onions or celery and usually poultry or game or shellfish and sometimes tomatoes