Persian Basmati Rice Recipes

PERSIAN RICE

Steps:

• Bring water and kosher salt to a boil in a pot; add rice and cook, stirring, for exactly 7 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Cover bottom of pot with 1 layer of potato slices. Sprinkle cumin and salt over potatoes. Cook until potatoes are sizzling, 2 to 3 minutes; top potatoes with rice to form an even layer. Reduce heat to low and place butter slices over rice.
• Top pot with a layer of clean paper towels and place lid over towels. Steam until rice is fluffy, about 45 minutes.
• Grind saffron threads with a mortar and pestle. Mix crushed saffron with 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water in a large bowl. Add a couple spoonfuls of rice to saffron mixture and stir until rice is yellow.
• Spoon remaining rice into a serving bowl, top with saffron rice, and line edges of bowl with potatoes. Garnish with parsley.

PERSIAN RICE WITH SAFFRON AND POTATO CRISPY CRUST

Steps:

• In a medium-sized bowl soak rice with water.
• Gently wash the rice by stirring the rice in the water with your hand. This helps wash some of the starch and grit out. Pour out the water and repeat two more times.
• After washing the rice a third time, rinse and then cover rice with water and add 1 TBS salt.
• In a small bowl combine crushed saffron with 1 TBS hot water and set aside.
• In a 5-quart non-stick pot add 8 cups of water and 1 TBS salt and bring to boil.
• When the water has come to boil, pour out the water in the bowl containing the soaking rice. Add the wet rice to the boiling water.
• When the water comes to boil again and the rice floats to the top of the pot (approx. 6 mins), pour the contents of the pot into a fine colander. You know your rice is ready to strain if you bite a rice kernel and the center is still uncooked.
• Return the pot to the burner, set heat to medium and add 1 1/2 TBS oil.
• If using coriander seeds, sprinkle them on the bottom of the pot, and arrange potato slices over them.
• Using a spatula, gently scoop the drained rice into the pot. Make sure you do not push the rice in together as this will result in mushy rice. Scatter the rice throughout the pot, in a pyramid shape until finished. Your pot should not be filled to the top. You will need about 3 inches between the top of your rice and the top of the pot. If you must tap the rice off of your spatula, do not tap it against the pot. This will move the rice in the pot and press them together. Tap your spatula against the colander.
• Using the handle of a long wooden spoon or another utensil, gently press several holes around the rice down to the potato crust. This will allow the steam to travel freely through the pot. Pour the saffron mixture over the top of the rice.
• Drizzle over the rice with 1 TBS oil. You can also cut 2 TBS butter into small pieces and dot along the top of the rice.
• Pour the saffron water on top of the rice. When you serve the rice, the white and yellow rice will be mixed together. NOTE: If you want all of the saffron rice on top of the white rice when you serve, do not pour the saffron water now. Save it until you are ready to serve. Scoop out about 1 cup of cooked rice and place in a bowl, pour in saffron water and mix until all yellow. Transfer rest of white rice onto serving platter and pour yellow saffron rice over it (as pictured)
• Cover the lid of your pot with a clean towel or several paper towels, and set firmly over your pot to prevent steam from escaping. The towel will keep the condensation from dropping back into your rice and turning the rice into mush.
• After 7 minutes, lower the heat to low and let the rice finish cooking for another 45 mins. You will know your rice is done because it has fluffed up. Another trick to see if your rice is down is to lick your finger and quickly touch your wet finger against the side of the hot pot. If you hear a sizzle sound, your rice is done (and hopefully your finger isn't burned!).
• To serve, you can place a large round platter over the top of the pot, then carefully invert the pot and remove gently. This will create a cake-effect, with the potato crust showing on top. Or, you can use a spatula to gently remove the rice and scatter on your serving platter, creating a pyramid-effect, placing the crunchy potatoes on top or surrounding the rice.

TRADITIONAL PERSIAN BASMATI RICE WITH TADIG

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Make sure the pot is a heavy bottom pot.).
• Add 3-4 tablespoons of salt to the water.
• Scoop out the desired amount of rice into a bowl (whatever amount you want, just remember 1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked).
• Pour water over it to rinse it and then pour the water off.
• Repeat this until the water runs clear.
• Add the rice to the boiling water.
• Boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
• Bring pot to the sink and turn the cold water on to make the starchy water overflow.
• Drain into a colander.
• Put the pot back onto the stove at medium to medium high heat (this may vary depending on your stove) and add oil (enough to just cover the bottom).
• In a small bowl, melt butter (about 1 tablespoon of butter per cup of dry rice) with a pinch saffron in it (if you have a mortar and pestel, grind the saffron first, otherwise, don't worry about it).
• Sprinkle the rice with a spoon into a mound in the pan on the stove.
• Poke 3-4 holes into the top and pour the butter down the holes.
• Take a scoop of the rice from the mound and stir in the bowl used to melt the butter (just to get the last of the saffron butter out).
• Put the rice back into the pot.
• Place about 3 layers of paper towels to cover the top of the pan and then place the lid tightly over the pan.
• Cook at the medium-medium high heat for 8 minutes.
• Turn the stove down to the lowest temperature it will go and steam for 35 more minutes.
• To serve, scoop the rice out from the top of the pan being careful not to brake the crust on the bottom.
• Once all the rice is out except for the crust (tadig), take another plate, big enough to cover the opening of the pan and flip the crust out onto the pan. It should be golden brown and beautiful! If it is black, the temperature of your stove was too high and the entire pot of rice may taste burnt.
• Once you get the hang of this you can try using sliced rounds of potato or pita bread on the bottom of the pan before you sprinkle in the boiled rice (both of these options are very yummy!).

PERSIAN BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• For a perfect rice, place your rice in a colander or a large pot and rinse it in cold water at least 3 times- using your hand to swish the rice about. Place the colander in a bowl of cold water, enough to cover the rice and allow it to set for 30 minutes. This will rid the rice of the extra starch that rubs off in the packaging and makes your rice stick together. It also reduces the cooking time.
• Place the chicken stock in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Add in all of your spices and olive oil; set aside the almonds, tomatoes and scallions for later. Stir well to combine.
• Drain all the water you can off the rice, add to chicken stock mixture; cover and bring the rice to a full boil. From here on, do not remove the lid! Reduce heat to a low simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed. This can take 10 to 15 minutes.
• Do not remove the lid! Turn off the heat and drape the pot/lid with a towel and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove the towel and the lid. Add in the almonds, tomatoes, peas and scallions. Taste for seasoning and do not be afraid to add more salt, Advieh and/or Koubideh spice. The amount you add will depend on your taste. VERY gently fold everything into the rice and cover until serving time.
• This rice is fantastic served at room temperature and it is great for potlucks, picnics and get togethers. Since this dish contains no meat, you can safely allow it to cool to room temperature, cover tightly and leave on your counter top over night. So, this dish can be made the day before an event, as I have done so many, many times. The KEY is let it reach room temperature BEFORE covering it.

PERSIAN BASMATI RICE CHELO (TAHDIG)

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat if using gas, or a medium-high heat if using electric. Fill the pan with boiling water and add the rice with a generous handful of crushed sea salt flakes. Boil for 6-8 mins until the rice is parboiled. You will know it is parboiled when the colour of the grains turn from the normal dullish white to a more brilliant white, and the grains become slightly elongated and begin to soften.
• Drain the rice and rinse it immediately under cold running water for a couple of minutes until it is cool. Line the bottom of the saucepan used to parboil the rice with some non-stick baking parchment (see tip).
• Return the paper-lined saucepan to the hob and pour in a generous drizzle of the oil with the butter. Season the base of the pan with some crushed sea salt flakes. Scatter the rice into the pan. Ensure you scatter it, don't pack it in - you want the lightness of the falling rice to allow for steam to rise up. Wrap the pan lid in a tea towel (to lock in the steam and make for a secure, tight seal), cover the pan and cook the rice on the lowest temperature possible for 45 mins if using gas, or a medium-low heat for 1 hr 30 mins if using electric. The grains should be puffed up when cooked.
• Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the pan (it can help to place a large serving dish over the pan and flip the rice onto the dish). Scrape out the tahdig (this is the crusty bit, it means 'bottom of the pan') and serve on top of the rice.