Skip to content

Fish

Hamsili pilav with salad

Hamsili pilav is a Turkish Black Sea dish for 4 people, ready in 65 minutes, medium difficulty, for €4.40 per person. It is a pine nut and raisin rice scented with cinnamon, molded and then unmolded under a crown of anchovies. The key to success is packing the mold firmly and letting it rest before unmolding, so the fish crown stays in place.

Off to the Black Sea with hamsili pilav, fragrant rice baked under a crown of small fish, served with a fresh salad.

Hamsili pilav with salad
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Summer

Hamsili pilav surprises you first with its look, a crown of small fish covering soft rice studded with pine nuts and raisins. Cinnamon and sweet paprika season the rice without any heat, while fresh anchovies bring a clean briny flavor, nothing like canned fish. Once unmolded, the dish looks like a savory charlotte, striking enough to set right on the table.

This is a dish to make on a Sunday or for guests, when you have a bit of time to clean the anchovies and arrange the mold carefully. Mon Chou walks you through each step so the unmolding stays clean and the rice keeps its light, fluffy texture. A fresh tomato salad balances the plate and adds brightness next to the fragrant rice.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Fresh anchovies or small sardines 500 g

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Pine nutsoften in the pantry 40 g
  • Raisinsoften in the pantry 40 g
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Dill 6 sprigs
  • Parsley 4 sprigs
  • Green salad 1
  • Tomatoes 2

Allergens Fish, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Head and gut the anchovies, rinse and pat them dry. Split them open if you like, they hold together better in the dish that way.

    Use your thumb to remove the head and the gut.

  2. Cook the sliced onion in the oil with the pine nuts, then add the rice, raisins, cinnamon and paprika. 8 min

    Toast the rice until it turns translucent.

  3. Add hot water to cover, season with salt, cover and cook over low heat, then fluff with a fork and stir in the chopped herbs. 12 min

    Do not stir while it cooks, the rice stays light.

  4. Oil a mold, line the bottom with fish arranged in a rosette, cover with rice and finish with a last layer of fish.

    Press down gently with the back of a spoon to pack it in.

  5. Bake at 190°C, then let rest, unmold and serve with a tomato salad. 20 min

    Turn the mold over onto a platter, like you would for a charlotte.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick anchovies that are truly fresh, with firm flesh and a mild sea smell, that is what sets this dish apart from a canned version.
  • Arrange the fish in a neat pattern at the bottom of the mold before adding the rice, since that pattern becomes the top once unmolded.
  • Always let the rice rest off the heat before packing the mold, it settles better and sticks less to the bottom.

The variations

  • Swap the anchovies for small fresh sardines, the flavor stays close and they fillet just as easily.
  • For a fish free version, line the mold with thin slices of grilled eggplant before adding the rice.
  • To save time, serve the fragrant rice straight on the plate with pan seared anchovies on the side, skipping the mold altogether.

What to serve it with

  • Fresh tomato salad
  • Garlicky plain yogurt
  • A squeeze of lemon on the fish

Storage

Hamsili pilav keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It does not freeze well because of the fish and the already cooked rice. Reheat it gently in a pan or oven so the rice does not dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you use canned anchovies instead of fresh ones?

No, canned anchovies are too salty and too soft to hold the crown shape. You need fresh anchovies or small fresh sardines, cleaned and dried before cooking.

Can you make the rice ahead of time?

You can cook the fragrant rice a few hours ahead and keep it covered at room temperature. Assemble the mold with fresh fish right before baking to keep a nice presentation.

Why does the dish need to rest before unmolding?

The ten minute rest lets the rice settle and keeps the fish in place. Without this resting time, the crown can fall apart when you unmold it.

Are pine nuts essential to this recipe?

They bring the crunch and toasted flavor typical of this dish, but you can swap them for slivered almonds if needed. The tree nut allergen stays present either way.

How long does it take to make a hamsili pilav with a side salad?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a hamsili pilav with a side salad?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a hamsili pilav with a side salad cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Recipes with anchovies

See all

Fish and seafood dishes

See all