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Meat, Africa and overseas

Kenyan beef pilau

Kenyan beef pilau is a rice dish simmered with whole spices in a flavorful beef broth. For 4 people, it takes 70 minutes and medium skill, at €3.60 per serving. The key to getting it right is browning the onions thoroughly before adding the rice, which gives the dish its signature golden color.

How about a pilau like you'd find on the Kenyan coast, with rice that fills the whole house with cardamom and cumin?

Kenyan beef pilau
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.60
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Kenyan beef pilau is rice with real character. Cardamom, cumin, cloves and cinnamon steep slowly in the broth before the rice soaks them all up in turn. The result is golden grains fragrant all the way through, studded with tender pieces of beef in every bite. It's a generous dish, built to feed a whole table without any last minute scrambling.

This is the kind of recipe to start on a Sunday, when you have time to let the beef simmer quietly while the house fills with the smell of spices. Kids tend to like it because the rice stays soft and mild, while adults appreciate the depth the whole spices bring. Mon Chou suggests it as an easy way to break from everyday rice dishes.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef chuck or shoulder 600 g

Pantry

  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 320 g
  • Cumin seedsoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Green cardamom podsoften in the pantry 6
  • Clovesoften in the pantry 4
  • Cinnamon stickoften in the pantry 1
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 3
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 1 tbsp
  • Tomato 1

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the beef into 3 cm cubes and thinly slice the onions.

    Cut against the grain if you can, the meat will be more tender.

  2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven with the cumin, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, then add the onions and brown them thoroughly. 12 min

    The spices should sizzle without blackening, lower the heat if they start to smoke.

  3. Add the chopped garlic and ginger, the diced tomato and the beef, season with salt and pepper, then cover with water and let it simmer covered. 40 min

    Save the cooking broth, you'll need it to cook the rice.

  4. Rinse the basmati rice, add it to the pot with 2 1/2 cups of the cooking broth (top up with hot water if needed), stir once and cover. 15 min

    Don't lift the lid again, the steam finishes cooking the rice.

  5. Turn off the heat, let it rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving. 5 min

    Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves so no one bites into them.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use whole spices rather than ground ones, they infuse the broth without clouding it and you can easily fish them out before serving.
  • Cut the beef into even 3 cm cubes so they cook at the same rate and stay tender after the 40 minute simmer.
  • Measure the 2 1/2 cups of broth for the rice carefully, that ratio is what gives you grains that are cooked through but still slightly firm.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for cubed lamb, which is actually the most common traditional version along the Kenyan coast.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with cooked chickpeas and use vegetable broth instead of water.
  • To save time, use leftover cooked beef and cut the simmering step down to 15 minutes before adding the rice.

What to serve it with

  • A fresh cucumber and tomato salad
  • A spicy mango chutney
  • A spiced chai tea

Storage

Pilau keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, thaw it in the fridge before reheating. Reheat in a pan or microwave with a splash of water to bring back the rice's softness.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different rice instead of basmati?

Basmati works best because its long grains soak up the broth without turning sticky. Regular long grain rice can work too, but the result will be less fragrant.

Do you need to soak the rice before cooking?

It's not necessary for this recipe, a quick rinse under cold water is enough to remove excess starch. This keeps the grains from clumping together during cooking.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can simmer the beef base the day before and keep it in the fridge. The next day, just reheat the broth and cook the rice in it right before serving.

Which cut of beef works best for this pilau?

Chuck or shoulder cuts are ideal since they turn tender after a long simmer. Avoid very lean cuts, which tend to dry out during cooking.

How long does it take to make a Kenyan beef pilau?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Kenyan beef pilau?

About 520 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 Kenyan beef pilau cost?

About €3.60 per serving, or €14.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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