Vermicelli Rice
Roz bil shaghrieh is the everyday rice that accompanies stews, stuffed vegetables, and grills in Lebanon. People also eat it by itself with yogurt poured over. The short-grain rice from Egypt is the traditional rice used, but today basmati is preferred. Middle Eastern stores sell Italian “cut” vermicelli called filini and similar Turkish Şehriye, but otherwise you can buy vermicelli nests and break them in your hands into small 3/4-inch pieces.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Wash the rice briefly in cold water, pour into a strainer and then rinse under cold running water, and drain. Toast the filini, or broken vermicelli, in a dry frying pan over medium heat or in a tray under the broiler until they are lightly browned, stirring so that they brown evenly. Watch them, as they brown very quickly.
Step 2
Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the rice, and stir until the grains are coated. Pour in the boiling water, add the browned vermicelli and some salt, and stir well. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the rice is tender and the water absorbed. Some brands of basmati now cook in only 10 minutes while others can take up to 20 minutes, so be sure to read the instructions on the package and be ready to turn off the heat after 10 minutes.
