Eating Around the World: Turkish delight is Hamsili Pilav

This week we are visiting Turkey and cooking one of that country's most traditional dishes: Hamsili Pilav, or Fish and Rice.

This recipe feeds eight people.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups Arborio rice

2 pounds fresh whitefish (sea bass, tilapia, catfish or any type you like)

1 cup diced bell pepper

2 cups diced tomatoes

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

3 cups fish or vegetable stock

Putting it together:

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and wait until it begins to smoke. Add rice, and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly to prevent rice from burning. Add bell peppers, onion, carrot, celery, chili flakes and garlic, and cook until vegetables caramelize, about five minutes.

Add turmeric, cumin and stock, and bring to boil. Arrange fish on top of rice and vegetables and cover pot with a tight lid, reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until rice is soft.

Serve with pide bread (similar to pita bread).

 Antonio Villagomez is head chef and owner of Cilantro's restaurant and catering in Yuba City, Calif. Contact him at 530-844-2111.