Quick Recipe -- Jasmine Rice Pilaf With Lemon And Toasted Almonds

Recipes on this page were developed or tested by Cece Sullivan of the Times food staff and were evaluated by staff members.

JASMINE RICE PILAF WITH LEMON AND TOASTED ALMONDS 8 servings; approximate preparation time 20 minutes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1/2 cup minced onion

1 medium clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 1/4 cups jasmati rice

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Finely grated peel of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1. Toast the almonds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Chop coarsely and set aside.

2. In a large pan heat the olive oil and margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in the rice; cook 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the chicken broth, water, salt, several grindings of pepper, the lemon peel and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes. (Or bring to a boil and continue to boil until the level of the liquid just covers the top of the rice. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook 20 minutes.)

4. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the almonds, lemon juice and parsley. Serve.

Note: Jasmati rice is produced by the Texmati Rice Company and can be found in major supermarkets.

Data per serving Calories 169 Protein 4g Fat 6g Carbohydrates 26g Sodium 166mg Saturated fat 1g Monounsaturated fat 2g Polyunsaturated fat 1g Cholesterol 0mg