Alexander’s Macedonians introducing rice to Greece

Driving around in northern Greece, roughly between Thessaloniki and Seres on the Turkish border, I often came across rice fields. I couldn’t help wondering whether those rice fields had been familiar to Alexander or if they were of later origin.

It so happens that I lately discussed the Uzbek national dish of plov or palov. In fact, plov is another word for pilaf – rice pilaf. As it turns out, this plov is not limited to Uzbekistan but is widely known all over Central Asia and beyond – from Persia to India. According to the region or the availability, the rice would be enriched with lamb or chicken and a few vegetables such as onions, carrots, chickpeas, and raisins, sprinkled with cumin and saffron. It was and still is an ideal dish for large gatherings like weddings as it can easily be kept warm and ready to serve.

To my greatest surprise, I found an article confirming that it was Alexander’s Macedonians who brought the recipe home after their campaign in Central Asia. From Macedonia, it spread mostly throughout Greece and the Balkans.

It is one of the many foodies Alexander brought to the West. In an earlier blog, I discussed the citron (see: What Alexander did for us) but I’m sure there are many, many more such examples.

But, let’s go back to the pilaf – plov. Whether it is a  legend or not, the story goes that Alexander had his first taste of plov while he was in Maracanda. Some sources go as far as to assume that plov was served during the king’s wedding to Roxane – a very tempting thought, of course.

To make the story even more spicier, some people became inventive and recreated the 2,500-year-old recipe, like this one:

Alexander The Great's Rice Pilaf

Ingredients: ¼ tsp salt, 2 tbs butter, 2 cups chicken broth, ¼ cup chopped onions, and 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

1) In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the onion in butter for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally

2) Stir in the rice. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in the broth and salt

3 ) Heat to boiling, reduce to low. Cover and simmer for 16 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes

4 ) Enjoy your piece of culture with some curry chicken

Whatever form or variation you’d try, I am convinced it is a dish you'll love!