This pilau rice, pilaf, pulao with wild garlic and stinging nettles is more of a spring dish but the wild garlic and nettles can be substituted by spinach and spring onion, scallions. This one-pot dish is definitely a versatile ideal midweek meal.
This is the second time this year we have had this pilau rice with wild garlic and nettles. I have added some organic black lentils also known as beluga to make it even more hearty and packed with goodness. Olives were also present because this is how my mum used to make it and I love it.
A truly beautiful vegan dish. It’s one of those dishes which takes me back a few decades reminding me vividly of those days when I was going into my favourite local forest to pick the nettles.
I did grow up eating very well, organic, locally grown produce, always tasty and super fresh. I’m not that old, please don’t think that a few decades can be many more than they really are, haha - just 2 or 3 you know ;-). Time flies anyways so a decade is not that long nowadays ;-).
How to get fresh nettles and when
The very first nettle shoots are how nettles should be picked. The young ones are definitely the best.
Stinging nettles can be picked actually up to the point of flowering but not later than that. If the nettles are older just pick the tips, just the tip, approximately the top 10cm.
Here’s how they look when they’re at their best times and size to get picked...
Just in case you wonder, yes I did get stung quite badly and suffered a good few days after picking them. That is because we never planned to go nettle picking so obviously we were neither prepared nor equipped for nettle picking.
We used scissors (especially hubby) we didn’t have gloves or anything to protect our fingers. I picked them up in the barest and most natural way by snapping them with my bare fingers. I am beginning to feel the stinging again only by thinking and talking about it.
A little more about these little nasty stinging nettles….
Stinging nettle is have been used for many hundreds of years to treat muscles and joint aches, eczema, lower back pain, anaemia, arthritis and gout. Great ingredient, I know! It is what I thought too.
Stinging Nettle Benefits:
Nettles have been linked to some health benefits, they contain many nutrients such as:
• Vitamins - A, C and K and a few B vitamins);
• Minerals - Ca (Calcium), Fe (Iron), Mg (Magnesium), Ph (Phosphorus), K (Potassium) and Na(Sodium)- I’m sure you know your symbols. I wanted to test myself to see if I remember them, and to my surprise, I still do! My chemistry teacher would be quite proud of it.
• Amino acids - all the essential ones (wow, I know!). Our bodies need 20 amino acids to grow and then function properly but just 9 are considered to be essential.
Amino acids cannot be made by our bodies and therefore they have to be obtained from our food.
• They also contain fats, polyphenols and pigments, many of which act as antioxidants- we all know how great they are for us.
• Nettles are believed to help reduce inflammation which is why they were used in arthritis.
When, where, how to pick stinging nettles ….
• Nettles are a spring thing only.
• As I mentioned they need to be picked when they are young and if they get picked a little later into the spring you’ll only need to pick the tips, I would say 3 inches maximum.
• They do prefer the cooler parts of the world. I’m not sure about the hot countries but I know they can be found all throughout Europe, New Zealand and the cooler parts of the US. Do you guys have them where you are?
• Always try to wear gloves when picking them. I like using scissors especially if I don’t have gloves and sometimes I use a pair of tongs.
• Cut with the scissors and pick them using the tongs and put them in a bag. Easy. Caution! They can sting through the gloves too, haha, so use my technique if you want to stay ‘sting-free’.
Wild garlic...
I did buy mine this time but while being out on my walks with hubby, wandering around a nice park in Finchley, we discovered a sea full of wild garlic. At first, I did not even realise it was actually wild garlic. Wow, I will never buy mine again but go and pick it freshly from the beautiful and generous nature.
A few years back my mum brought me some wild garlic and sadly I ended up throwing most of it away because I never really cooked with it before. I did not know what to do with so much wild garlic! Haha. She was the one to open up my eyes and lighten up my brain. I now try and cook it as soon as it appears which is always around April/May.
FAQs
Not to worry at all if you have neither nettles nor wild garlic. These can be substituted by spinach, chives, kale, cavolo nero or any spring greens. Any greens you may like will deserve a try. Surprise me here please but make sure you let me know what that was. What have you replaced the nettles or the wild garlic with? Supplies!! 😉
What is special about this pilau rice
Coming back to this delicious and totally vegan pilau rice or pilaf, it is packed with goodness, it is easy to make and pretty versatile too.
I grew up eating this but I have to say that I never appreciated it as much as I do now.
We do forage the nettles as soon as they pop their heads out, nice and young are the best.
I am going to reveal the recipe for this beautiful pilau rice dish so, let’s put the apron on and get cooking, shall we?
But before that here are some more rice recipes you might like to try like this one-pan curried rice, truffle and mushrooms pilaf, or this sweet and super delicious rice and mung beans pudding. You may also like this vegan nettle and chickpea salad recipe. Yum, yum.
Pilau rice with wild garlic and stinging nettles
Equipment
- skillet
- wooden spoon
- chopping board
Ingredients
- 500 ml stock vegetable
- 300 g rice
- 150 g black lentils (beluga lentilorganic
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 70 g wild garlic fresh
- 120 g nettles fresh or frozen
- 1-2 pinch red chilli dry and crushed
- 40 g black olives pits on
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt pink Himalayan
- 1 tablespoon fried onions optional
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Place the pan on medium heat, add the 2 tablespoon of olive oil, chopped or sliced onions, sliced or cubed carrots, finely chopped garlic, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cook for 2-3 min stirring a few times.
- Add the stock and bring to boil. When this starts to simmer, add the rice, the black lentils and allow to cook (covered) on low heat for about 7-9 minutes.
- Remove the lid, add the chopped nettles and chopped wild garlic. Add more stock if needed. Season with more salt and pepper (remember that olives are salty too). Give it a good mix. Add the olives, stir those in and cook for a further 5-7 min on low heat.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle some chilli flakes pinenuts and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Sprinkle a spoonful or two of Parmesan cheese over for extra flavour and creaminess if you wish or vegetarian cheese to keep it a vegan option.
To wash the nettles use plenty of water in a big bowl and use a pair of tongs or thick gloves to pick them up.
Rinse them very well quite a few times changing the water every time.
Storing nettles:
They do store very well in the fridge for a few days but if you want to store them for a long-term wash them, drain well and freeze. This way nettles can last for a good few months.
It’s a good way to have nettles throughout the year. Also dried they are pretty good although they do not taste quite the same.
I prefer the taste of fresh or frozen if you ask me. I do use dry nettles quite a bit too especially for salads and smoothies. Here’s one recipe that uses dry nettles you might like.
Cooking the nettles:
They are good in any dish that you would cook with spinach and they cook pretty much like spinach.
Let me know, do you have nettles where you are? Have you ever cooked them?
Mimi says
Your mum made a great choice with olives, I always use them with my rice and never miss. Delicious recipe!
Ramona says
Thank you so much Mimi. I agree with you. I love olives and with this dish they make such a difference.
April says
It is the second time for you but hopefully will be the first one for me because these nettles are unbelievably good!
Ramona says
Thank you so much April, they really are.
Lathiya says
Never heard of Nettles before. Something new to me. The dish looks delicious and definitele a must try.
Ramona says
Thank you Lathiya, definitely worth checking for some nettles. They are super food!
Jacqueline Debono says
Although I have never eaten stinging nettles, I love making recipes with foraged foods! Definitely have to try this wonderful recipe!
Ramona says
Thank you Jacqui - I am sure you can find some really nice nettles around in Italy. They are super great. I just wished I could find them here to buy in a supermarket or farmers market so I don’t need to go and pick them myself 😉
Amanda says
This is such a great side dish! It's so flavorful and goes with so many different dishes. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Amanda, you are so right, it is a great dish, we love it and I am so glad you do too!
Swathi says
I haven't tried stinging nettles, I need to check it out. this pilaf looks perfectly made with full of flavor.
Ramona says
thank you so much Swathi!
I am so glad you like it. Check it out - the nettles are great but spinach is a great substitution to the nettles as I know these are not always available.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
I remember my nasty first encounter with stinging nettles. I had no idea people would actually pick them! You learn something new every day!
I am still scared from my first experience with them, so I think I would need to get over that before trying this recipe!
Ramona says
Ha ha Cathleen, you made me laugh but I can understand what you are saying. however, there is a difference between the stinging - the older they are with flowers and seeds and all that the nastier the stinging is. The young ones are a lot milder. It is easier to get them ready picked - I hope one day soon we will be able to buy them in the supermarkets fresh, frozen or ready cooked. I also use the dry ones in the months they cannot be found fresh.
I do hope you will give them a try soon 😉
Natalie says
I never cooked nettles. But now I definitely must. Health benefits are numerous. This recipe sounds very delicious. Definitely will give it a try!
Ramona says
Thank you Natalie, I am sure you will love it!
Jo says
I'm a rice eater and I can never get bored of rice, could eat it all day long. This pilau sounds so exciting to me. Never heard or tasted stinging nettles, but with so many health benefits, it sounds like the best thing to use. Very interesting recipe.
Ramona says
I can easily say the same thing Jo, I never get bored of rice and potatoes, I could eat these two ingredients all day long. Thanks so much!
Danielle says
I think adding organic black lentils made it an extremely delicious and healthy dish. I am very interested to try it and can't wait to get everything I need for it.
Ramona says
Thank you Danielle, yes indeed, the beluga/black lentils are a great addition and give that extra to the dish. I am so happy you will try this recipe, I am so sure you will absolutely love it!
Claudia Lamascolo says
This sounds so delicious I never had anything like it and love the rice and garlic such a wonderful combination of flavors.
Ramona says
Thank you dear Claudia, definitely a dish to try it is really tasty and so east to make 😉 Happy weekend! x
Jenni LeBaron says
This looks delicious! I've never worked with stinging nettles before, but I see them each week at the farmers market and have always wondered what I could do with them. This dish looks like the perfect choice!
Ramona says
Thank you Jenni, you are so lucky to find nettles at the farmers market. I have never seen them here - I need to go and pick them myself which is fun, I am not complaining but I would cook with nettles so much more if it was for thhose to be available. I will go and check it out next spring as I might be missing them due to the short lived season. Great tip actually -thanks
You should definitely try them, they’re delicious indeed and packed with goodness. I remember back home when I was a kid we would even make a tea and drink it which I wasn’t a fun of but my mum always said to us to have it as it is very good for us- lucky we listened 😉
Erika says
Oh wow, what a great looking dish. I've never worked with nettles before, but it looks so interesting.
Ramona says
Thank you so much Erika 😉
Sophie says
Very new recipe for me, looks so delish!
Ramona says
Thank you Sophie.
Stine Mari says
Who knew nettles could be eaten like this! It looks fantastic and bursting with flavor. But be careful when picking nettles!
Ramona says
Ha ha, thanks Stine, indeed!
Kelly Anthony says
What do nettles taste like? I have never heard of or cooked with them.
Ramona says
Hi Kelly,
A bit like spinach really - closese I can think of. Really worth getting some for their benefits 😉