Osh Lobeyi

OSH LOBEYI – Pilaf with Black-Eyed Peas.

*A full-sized picture of this dish is available in the Gallery.

Ingredients for 4 portions:
2 cups long-grain (Basmati) rice (cup size 250 ml)
3 quarts (3 liter) water
3 tbsp salt
1 cup black-eyed (beans) peas
Smoked fish (on the picture is smoked Mackerel)

Preparation:
Cooking black-eyed peas.
Place dried black-eyed peas in a bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight.
Strain the peas through a colander. Then place the peas in a pot, and add enough water to cover the peas. Bring to a boil, add salt, and lower the heat. Simmer for 45 minutes or until tender. Strain the peas using a colander. Place black-eyed peas in a large bowl, and set it aside.

Preparing the Osh (pilaf).
1. Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water several times until the water stays clear, to remove excess starch.
2. Fill a pot (or saucepan) with water, add salt, and bring it to a boil. Place the rice into the boiling water. Stir, lower the heat to medium, and let it cook for 10 minutes (cooking time is depending on the quality of your rice). Cooked rice should be soft on the outside and hard inside, but not raw and not overcooked.
3. Strain the rice using a colander, and rinse with a hot water, to wash out an extra salt.
4. Move the rice into a pot, add cooked black-eyed peas, and gently mix them together. Pour 3 tablespoons of hot water on the top.
5. Wrap the lid of the pot in a tea towel or paper towel and cover the rice. Cook over a low heat for about 45-60 minutes. Put a heat diffuser or a pan under your pot to prevent burning.

Serve Osh Lobeyi with a smoked salted fish. On the picture, osh served with a smoked Mackerel, which is perfectly complementing the black-eyed peas pilaf.

Bon Appétit! Enjoy!

This post is also available in: Russian