email this pageCarolina Pilau is something of an enigma. You may know this simple dish as chicken and rice, variations of which are found the world over, but in the Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry, it is a defining element of the region’s cuisine.
Pronounced variously PEE-lo, pih-LO, PER-lo and per-LO, and sometimes even spelled phonetically to match, pilau is more technique than recipe—rice cooked in aromatic liquid with enough fat to keep the grains distinct and separate.
How this dish, believed to have descended from the pilafs of ancient Persia, came to the Lowcountry is a matter of debate. Some speculate that it was by way of French Huguenots, who may have learned about it from Jews in Provence, but pilaus are also deeply rooted in the cuisine of rice-growing slaves from Africa’s West Coast.
Old recipes for pilau were austere, not because seasonings were spare, but because recipes were then little more than outlines that left flavorings to the cook. For example, though rarely mentioned historically, today tomatoes and onions are traditional pilau ingredients.
When hot pepper is used whole, as it is here, it lends subtle flavor without releasing its hot oily acids. For more direct flavor and kick, simply chop or slice it.
Lowcountry cooks always wash rice to remove the surface starch for distinct, separate grains. Put raw rice in a large bowl of water and rub it gently between your hands until the water is milky. Drain into a wire sieve and repeat until the water is clear.
Carolina Pilau
1 large onion, trimmed, split lengthwise, peeled and chopped
2 large celery stalks, strung and chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth or water
3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces, light and dark
1 teaspoon each dried thyme, parsley, sage, marjoram (or 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh herbs)
2 bay leaves
1 whole small hot pepper (optional)
2 cups seeded and diced fresh tomatoes, with their juices
Zest of 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler in 2 or 3 large pieces (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups long grain rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2. Add onion and celery and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum that rises, and reduce heat to medium.
3. Add chicken, dried or fresh herbs, bay leaves, hot pepper, tomatoes and lemon zest, if using, to the simmering liquid. Continue simmering, covered, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove, skin and bone chicken, then cut or shred meat into bite-sized pieces. You may skim off the excess fat, but leave at least 2 tablespoons. Return chicken meat to the pot.
4. Wash rice. Drain thoroughly in a wire sieve and add to the pot. Increase heat briefly until it comes back to a simmer, then reduce heat as much as possible, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
5. Remove and discard bay leaves, hot pepper pod and zest, if using. Fluff rice with a fork. The grains should be moist but separate and not split. Immediately turn onto a platter or serve it directly from the pot. Serves 8.
Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, "Relish the American Table," Sept. 24, 2006.
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