Turkish Rice for Pilav — Baldo & Osmancık

A great pilav starts with great rice, and Turkish cooks are famously particular about their grains. At Turkish Online Market we stock the classic Turkish rice varieties that make tane tane (separate, glossy) pilav possible at home, so you can serve a bowl of rice that does justice to your stews, kebabs and grills.

Baldo and Osmancık: The Pilav Rices

Two varieties dominate the Turkish kitchen. Baldo is a short-to-medium grain with a plump, rounded shape; it absorbs butter and stock generously and produces a rich, slightly creamy pilav with a satisfying bite. Osmancık is a longer, slimmer grain that cooks up lighter and more separate, beloved for everyday pilav and rice that needs to stay fluffy. Both deliver the buttery, glistening results that define a proper Turkish table.

• Baldo: plump grain, rich and tender, ideal for buttery pilav and şehriyeli pilav
• Osmancık: lighter, separate grains, perfect for everyday pilav and rice salads

The Secret to Fluffy Pilav

The technique is as important as the rice. Rinse the grains until the water runs clear to wash away surface starch, then soak briefly in warm salted water to relax them. Toast the rice gently in butter (often with a handful of vermicelli, şehriye, for the classic version), add hot stock in the right ratio, and cook covered on a low heat until the liquid is absorbed. Rest it off the heat with a cloth under the lid for ten minutes, then fluff with a fork — the result is light, separate, glossy pilav every time.

Beyond Plain Pilav

Turkish rice is endlessly versatile. Stir in chickpeas, currants and pine nuts for iç pilav, fold through orzo or vermicelli, or pack it into vine leaves and peppers for dolma. It is the natural partner to slow-cooked lamb, chicken sote, white beans and countless other dishes loved across the Turkish, Cypriot and Middle Eastern communities we serve.

Shop Turkish Rice at Turkish Online Market

Our rice sits within a pantry of more than 2,000 authentic products at Turkish Online Market, right next to bulgur, lentils, pastes and spices so you can build a complete meal in a single basket. As an online-only Turkish supermarket we deliver across the UK with next-day DHL service, and shipping is free on orders over £60 (a flat £5.99 applies below). Order your baldo or osmancık rice from Turkish Online Market today and bring authentic, fluffy Turkish pilav to your own table.