Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau

Last Updated on February 12, 2020 by Chef Mireille

This is the second month I am participating in the Eat the World Cooking Challenge. The country the group chose this month is Iraq. I was so happy as this is a cuisine yet represented here on The Schizo Chef. One more country to check off!

After some research, I came across Parda Plau and realized it was a dish that has been on my to do list for a long time. There is a restaurant here in NYC, called the Moustache. It’s a Middle Eastern restaurant and ouzi is one of my go to dishes I order most of the time I visit the restaurant. I think the owners are Lebanese and I have discovered that ouzi, sometimes spelled oozi, is a popular dish throughout the Middle East.

Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau is basically the Iraqi version of ouzi. As I have eaten this dish dozens of times, I knew exactly what to put into it. This delicious recipe is doing double duty this month for Eat the World & Baking Bloggers.

The recipe below involves making your own chicken broth and using chicken on the bone to make Parda Pulao super flavorful. However, if you still want to make this dish but prefer a lazier method, you can also try this easier methodology.

Alternative Cooking Method of Parda Pulao

• Instead of using chicken on the bone, use boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
• After the caramelized onions, add the chopped chicken thighs and sautee until golden brown.
• Use store bought chicken broth and add the extra ingredients that went into the chicken broth, however, use all ground spices and reduce the quantity by half.
• The rest of the steps remain the same.

The one part of Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau which is a little challenging is layering the phyllo, especially if you don’t have a large area of counter space to work with.

It will be easier if you make smaller individual ouzi, which is how it is done in the restaurants. Regardless, this version was just as delicious, if not as aesthetically appealing.

Since the dough dries out so quickly, you have to work very fast to keep the phyllo from breaking as you fill and layer.

A super flavorful pelau baked inside crispy and flaky layers of phyllo seals in all of the flavors and makes it so delicious!

Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau makes a delicious dinner for any night of the week!

and hey if you want to skip the second step..I won’t tell…

This flavorful Chicken Pulao it makes a great weeknight dinner – an easy one pot meal – especially if you use the store bought chicken broth method!

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Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau

Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau – Known as an ouzi in many Middle Eastern countries, Parda Pulao is a delicious one pot rice & chicken pulao baked inside phyllo.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 10 people

1x2x3x

Calories: 443kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Broth Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. skinless chicken
• 5 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick

Pulao Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 3 cups chopped vegetables
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups rice
• 6-10 slices Phyllo

Instructions

• Combine chicken, garlic, coriander seed, cumin seed, peppercorns and cinnamon in a large pot.
• Add 8 cups water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
• Remove the chicken pieces.
• As soon as it is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones.
• Strain the broth and discard the spices.
• In a large pot, combine oil and onions.
• Cook on low heat for about 5-8 minutes, until onions are browned and caramelized.
• Add vegetables and stir fry for about 5 minutes on medium heat, until the vegetables are about half cooked.
• Add almonds and raisins. Stir fry for 1 minute.
• Add chicken, allspice, cinnamon, turmeric and orange blossom water. Stir to combine.
• Add reserved chicken broth and additional water to equal 4 cups and salt. Bring to a boil.
• Add rice. Stir to combine.
• Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Leave to cool.
• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• In a round cake pan or baking dish, layer 6 sheets of phyllo, brushing melted butter in between each layer.
• Add the cooked pulao on the phyllo sheets. Wrap the phyllo around the pulao to cover. Add a few more slices of phyllo on top, brushing melted butter in between each layer as needed.
• Brush melted butter on top.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

Notes

Any variety of vegetables can be used. I used cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and corn. Squash, pumpkin, cauliflower, green beans, green peas are other vegetables that can be used.

Chicken broth can be made the day before and chilled. You can then remove additional fat from the top before utilizing.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 789mg | Potassium: 560mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg

Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below.Please follow me on Instagram @chefmireille or tag me #chefmireille with your pics! I’d love to share them!

Check out all the wonderful Iraqi dishes by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Hadgi Badah (Iraqi Cardamom Cookies)
• The Schizo Chef: Iraqi Parda Pulao
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: T’Bit (Iraqi Slow Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice)
• Sneha’s Recipe: Potato Kubbi/Potato Chap
• CulturEatz: Kahi with Gaymar Breakfast
• Kitchen Frau: Tepsi Baytinijan (Meatball & Eggplant Dish)
• Pandemonium Noshery: Iraqi Lamb Stew
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Tepsi Baytinijan
• Making Miracles: Iraqi Rice & Potato Balls
• Dinner By Dennis: Pomegranate Soup

Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau is also part of this month’s Baking Bloggers group!

Baking Bloggers February 2020

Middle Eastern Baking

• Apricot Pistachio Cake from Food Lust People Love
• Basbousa Cake from Pandemonium Noshery
• Cottage Cheese and Veggies Borek from Sneha’s Recipe
• Easy Middle Eastern Puff Pastry Cheese Bourekas by Fatih, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Laffa Bread from Making Miracles
• Lebanese Sesame Cookies from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Mana’eesh (Palestinian Flatbread) from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Parda Pulao – Iraqi Parda Plau from The Schizo Chef
• Roast Chicken Shwarma from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Umm Ali from Caroline’s Cooking

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