Saffron Rice With Tahdig Recipes

TAH-DIG (PERSIAN RICE)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, rinse rise several times until the water drains clear.
• Fill bowl with water again and add a large pinch of salt. Allow rice to soak for about 20 minutes while you boil water. Reserve 3 tablespoons of boiling water for later use. *I've read/heard different soaking times, anywhere from no soaking to overnight.
• Bring a large pot with 4 cups of water to a boil. Drain rice and add to boiling water. Allow to cook, uncovered on medium-high heat for exactly 8 minutes (Set your timer.) Skim the foam off the top.
• When rice is done, it should begin to puff up, be soft on the outside and hard on the inside. Drain rice and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
• Using a mortar and pestle, grind a large pinch of saffron until it becomes powdery. Dissolve saffron in reserved 3 tablespoons hot water and stir with a spoon. Set aside.
• Heat a medium size non-stick skillet on medium high heat and add oil, 3 Tb plain water, turmeric and saffron liquid. Gently swirl pan around so bottom is fully coated.
• Add rice back into the pan, making sure the entire bottom is covered. Using the back of your large spoon, poke holes into the rice mound being careful not to go all the way down. Allow to cook on medium-high for 10 minutes, you should see steam coming out.
• Cover pan lid with a kitchen towel and close pan. The towel will catch any moisture from the rice. Allow to cook for another 35 minutes. When it's done, you should hear a sizzle and crackling sound.
• To serve: remove lid and place plate on top, carefully inverting the pan so the bottom of the rice is up. Or you can scoop the rice out and break the tahdig apart and scatter around the edges.

TAHDIG RECIPE (CRISPY PERSIAN RICE)

Steps:

• Mix the saffron into 1 cup very warm (but not hot) water. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to let the saffron release all of its flavor.
• In a sieve, rinse the rice under cool running water until the water almost runs clear.
• In a large pot, combine 8 cups of water and the salt (this is your one shot to season the rice itself). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook until al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the rice.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the cooked rice, the yogurt, grapeseed oil, and 2 tbsp of the saffron water. Mix thoroughly.
• Spread the rice-yogurt mixture evenly on the bottom of a 10-inch lidded nonstick pot. Sprinkle 1 cup of the remaining cooked rice on top, followed by 2 tablespoons of the dried cherries, a pinch of orange zest, and a pinch of cinnamon. Add another layer of rice and repeat with the cherries, orange zest, and cinnamon, reserving a couple tbsp of the cherries for garnish. As you go about layering, the rice will start to dome and look "pointy" in the middle--that's okay! Keep it that way. Finish by dotting the top with the butter and pour the rest of the saffron water all over the top.
• Wrap the lid in a kitchen towel and secure it around the handle with a rubber band. Cover the pot and cook over low heat, 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice around the edges is golden and crispy; it's okay to peek under the lid! (See note #2) Be sure not to burn the bottom layer of the rice, though you do want a nice crust in the bottom.
• Remove the lid, invert a large serving plate over the pot, and carefully flip them over together. No worries if it sticks, just scrape it out and run with it! Sprinkle the tahdig with the reserved dried cherries and pistachios and serve right away.

PERSIAN STEAMED RICE WITH TAHDIG

Steps:

• Add the salt to the water, bring it to boil and add the rice. Bring it back to boil and cook for 7 minutes. Get a grain and bite it, it should be soft on the outside and just resistant on the inside, not raw solid but almost cooked solid.
• Drain the rice, rinse with cold tap water, drain again and set aside.
• Wash out and dry the saucepan you used to parboil the rice, then place it on medium heat.
• For the tahdig, see proportions above. Mix the 2 ladles of rice rice, yoghurt, egg and salt in a small bowl. If not using yoghurt or egg, just move on to step 5.
• Mixed the saffron and fat of your choice and swirl it around in your saucepan for a few seconds.
• Add the rice or rice mix to the fat/saffron mix and flatten down. Leave to cook for a minute.
• Gradually add the rest of the rice, ladle by ladle, forming a conical shape. The reason for this is that traditional chelow pots were conical, giving you a wide base for your tahdig. Also given the long cooking time, whatever rice that touches the saucepan is going to crisp up slightly. So you want as much of the rice away from the edges as possible.
• Wrap the saucepan lid up with the towel and place on the saucepan, ensuring it's a tight fit. The towel is there to absorb any excess moisture, preventing soggy rice. Make sure your tea towel is nowhere near the flame!
• Cook on that same medium heat for 5 minutes. This should be enough time for the steam to build up. My mum used to wet her fingers and touch the side of the saucepan and if it "sizzled" that meant there was enough steam.
• At this stage, lower the heat right down and let the rice steam away for 45 minutes. This will produce a golden tahdig, the way I like it. If you prefer a darker shade of brown, go for 60-90 minutes.
• At the end of the cooking time, take it off the heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the rose water and butter topping all over the rice, if you like, or skip this stage.
• Ladle out all that beautiful, glistening rice onto a platter, lifting out the tahdig right at the end and serving that up separately, cut or broken up into pieces.

PERSIAN TAHDIG RICE

Steps:

• Grind saffron threads with sugar in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl and dissolve in boiling water. Set aside to soak.
• Wash starch from the rice by rinsing it in a nonstick 4-quart pot. Rinse 3 or 4 times in lukewarm water until water runs clear. Fill the pot 3/4 full with cold water, covering the rice. Bring to a boil. Add olive oil and cook until rice is soft on the outside and still crunchy in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain rice and rinse with cool water. Set aside. Rinse any excess rice starch out of the pot.
• Melt butter in the clean, dry pot. Mound rice over the butter; add enough water to reach 1/3 of the height of the rice. Sprinkle salt over the rice. Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel and cover the pot to seal tightly. Simmer over medium heat until all water is absorbed and a crispy crust starts to form on the bottom, about 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork while turning it out on a plate. Measure 1 cup rice and mix with the saffron water. Scatter saffron rice over plain rice. Detach the layer of crust, or 'tahdig', from the bottom of the pot and serve in a separate dish as a special treat.

SAFFRON RICE WITH TAHDIG

Steps:

• Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Swish the water a couple times with your hands, then rinse the rice in a large mesh sieve or colander with small drainage holes. Repeat the process until the water runs clear. Put the rice back in the bowl and cover with 3 cups cold water along with 1 tablespoon salt; give it a couple of stirs. Let soak 1 hour.
• Add 8 cups water and the remaining 3 tablespoons salt to a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water, giving a stir. Let cook until the water begins to bubble again, about 3 minutes. Check the rice: It should be al dente (soft on the outside with a slight bite in the center). If still not al dente, cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Drain the rice and rinse briefly with warm water. Taste the rice: If it seems too salty, rinse it again. Set the rice aside in the sieve.
• Stir the saffron and 3 tablespoons hot water together in a small cup.
• Place a 6-quart nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add the ghee and half of the saffron water. Swirl to melt and completely coat the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pot. When the ghee begins to sizzle, add enough rice to coat the bottom of the pot evenly, about 1 1/2 inches high. Press down gently but firmly with a spatula or a measuring cup to compact the rice and press about 2 inches up the sides to form a crust. Gently spoon the remaining rice over the top, forming a small mound in the center. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make 6 deep holes to vent steam down into the rice, stopping before hitting the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and cook for about 10 minutes (you will see steam coming from underneath the lid).
• Whisk the melted butter together with the remaining saffron water. Remove the lid from the pot, being careful not to drip condensation back into the pot. Turn the heat to low. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel, securing at the top to keep loose ends away from the fire. Drizzle the saffron butter into the rice. Cover with the lid and continue to cook, rotating the pot every so often for even browning, until the crust is deeply golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Let stand 5 minutes, then check that the bottom is detached from the pot with an offset spatula, loosening it gently if necessary. Place a platter over the top of the pot, using kitchen towels to hold the sides, and in one quick motion, invert the pot and the rice onto the platter. Serve immediately.