Balkan Leek Rice Pilaf with Paprika and Tomato 🍚✨ | Granny Zen Kitchen

Ingredients

• 🌱 500 g leeks, cleaned and sliced into half-moons (5 cups / 1.1 lb)
• 🍚 250 g short-grain rice or medium-grain rice, rinsed (1¼ cups / 8.8 oz)
• 🧅 120 g yellow onion, finely chopped (¾ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🧄 12 g garlic, finely chopped (4 cloves / 0.42 oz)
• 🍅 250 g crushed tomatoes or finely chopped ripe tomatoes (1 cup / 8.8 oz)
• 🫒 60 ml olive oil or sunflower oil (¼ cup / 2 fl oz)
• Seasoning 🌶️
• 🌶️ 5 g sweet paprika (2 tsp / 0.18 oz)
• 🌶️ 1 g chili flakes, optional (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🍃 2 bay leaves
• 🧂 8 g fine sea salt (1⅓ tsp / 0.28 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 💧 750 ml vegetable broth or water, hot (3 cups / 25 fl oz)
• Finish 🌿
• 🌿 20 g fresh parsley, chopped (½ cup / 0.7 oz)
• 🍋 20 ml lemon juice (4 tsp / 0.68 fl oz)
• 🫒 15 ml olive oil, for gloss (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🥖 300 g warm crusty bread, optional (10.6 oz)