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Hamsili pilav
Anchovy-wrapped rice bake
Hamsili pilav: spiced rice baked inside a jacket of fresh anchovies
Hamsili pilav is the showpiece of a Trabzon or Rize winter table: a dome of rice cooked with currants, pine nuts, allspice and dill, packed into a tin lined with butterflied anchovies, more fish laid over the top, and baked until the skins turn crisp. Turned out and cut like a cake, it shows silver fish outside and fragrant rice within, and families make it for guests and New Year gatherings. Serve with a sharp salad and lemon. Common mistake: fully cooking the rice before baking, which turns it mushy; it should still have a bite when it goes into the tin. Bake until the fish is opaque and flakes. Chef's tip: lay the anchovies skin side down against the tin, overlapping like roof tiles, so no rice escapes.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the rice
- 14 oz medium-grain rice (baldo)soaked 30 minutes, drained
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 oz pine nuts
- 1 oz currantssoaked 10 minutes
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp saltsplit between rice and fish
- 2 ¼ cups hot water
- ⅔ oz fresh dillchopped
- ½ oz flat-leaf parsleychopped
For the fish
- 2 ¼ lb fresh anchoviesheads, guts and backbones removed, butterflied
- 1 oz buttersoftened, for the tin and top
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Method
0/9 doneStep 2: Add drained 14 oz medium-grain rice (baldo) and stir for 3 minutes, until the grains turn translucent at the edges.
3 minStep 3: Add drained 1 oz currants, 1 tsp ground allspice, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp sugar, two-thirds of 1 tsp salt and 2 ¼ cups hot water. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed but the rice still has a firm centre.
10 minStep 4: Fold in ⅔ oz fresh dill and ½ oz flat-leaf parsley and leave covered off the heat for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Rinse 2 ¼ lb fresh anchovies, pat dry and sprinkle with the rest of ½ tsp salt.
Step 6: Grease a 24 cm round deep tin generously with half of ½ oz butter. Line the base and sides with anchovies, skin side down, overlapping and letting the tails hang over the rim.
Step 7: Spoon in the rice and press it down gently. Fold the overhanging fish over, then cover the top completely with the remaining anchovies, skin side up. Dot with the rest of ½ oz butter.
Step 8: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top fish are crisp and golden and the flesh is opaque and flakes when pressed.
35 minStep 9: Rest 10 minutes, then loosen the edges, put a large plate on top and turn out. Cut into wedges and serve with lemon.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hamsili pilav take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of medium-grain rice (baldo)?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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