Pilau is a common East African dish. It is an amazing rice dish full of spices and aromas. It can be made with Beef, Chicken or even cashew nut and dried grapes; for a vegan option.
Any pilau dish needs an accompanying sauce or vegetable. I served mine with a thick, coconut, sweet potato sauce and raw capsicums.
Ingredients
For the pilau
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
- 1 large onion bulb. (cut)
- 3 garlic cloves.
- 1kg of chopped chicken breast.
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons of pilau masala.
- 1 teaspoon of cloves powder. (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder. (optional)
- 2 cups of rice. (rinsed and soaked for at least 15 minutes)
- 1 and 3/4 cups of water.
For the sauce:
- 1 large onion bulb.
- 3 large tomatoes.
- coconut oil.
- 2 knorr chicken cubes.
- 2 tablespoons of coconut cream.
- 5 medium-sized pre-boiled sweet potatoes.
Instructions
Sweet potato sauce:
- Pour coconut oil in a small pot, let it get hot, add onions and let them brown.
- Lower the heat, add the diced tomatoes and chicken cubes. (Do not mix)
- Cover and let the tomatoes soften into a paste.
- Add coconut cream mixing it into the paste and let it simmer for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
- To the coconuty tomato paste, add the pre-boiled sweet potatoes and let it cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
The chicken pilau:
- Pour coconut oil into a cooking pot, once the oil is hot add the onion and crushed garlic. Let it turn golden brown.
- Add salt, pilau masala, cumin and cloves wait for 2 minutes then add the cubbed chicken breast.
- Cook the chicken till it browns and caramelizes stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the rice, add water, cover and wait till the water reduces.
- (Soaking the rice longer and using hot water to cook the rice cuts the cooking time in nearly half)
- Once it is ready to serve with the sweet potato sauce and fresh capsicums. Enjoy!


