Persian Rice Recipes

PERSIAN RICE

Steps:

• Tie cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and cardamom seeds in a small piece of cheesecloth; set aside. Fill a large saucepan with 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice and spice sachet. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Discard sachet and strain rice through a fine-mesh sieve. Let stand in sieve 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel potatoes and slice about 1/8 inch thick using a mandoline. Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat. Transfer butter to a large bowl for the rice mixture. Arrange potatoes in two layers in skillet in a circular pattern, overlapping slightly and working from the outside.
• Toss rice with butter, apricots, and raisins, and season with salt.
• Sprinkle cilantro over potatoes, and top with half of rice mixture, pressing down to form an even layer. Top with remaining rice mixture, continuing to press down, ensuring rice forms an even layer. Place a piece of cheesecloth directly on surface of rice, covering completely.
• Cover pan, and cook for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until potatoes are crisp and golden brown around edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove cheesecloth. Run a rubber spatula around edge of pan, and invert onto a serving platter, shaking gently to loosen rice from pan.

PERSIAN RICE

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, add the salt, and then boil the washed rice for ten minutes; drain and reserve.
• Dip the potato slices in the melted butter and use them to line the bottom AND sides of the same pot you just boiled the rice in.
• Pour any leftover butter in the bottom of the pot.
• Now, very carefully (don't move the potatoes), place the partially cooked rice into the potato-lined pot.
• Cover the pot with a teatowel and then its lid and place over medium-low heat; this steams the rice and cooks and browns the potatoes.
• This will take about 1/2 hour, but carefully check the rice for doneness and the potatoes for browning after about 20 minutes.
• When the rice and potatoes are done (potatoes will be browned and crispy), remove from heat and remove lid and teatowel.
• Place a large platter over top of pot and very carefully invert the pot.
• The whole thing should slide out; if some potatoes come away, put them back where they belong.
• I was told the crust is called the"tadiq" and it is the part the family members all fight over.
• I admit that, when I tried to make this dish, it all fell apart; it was tasty though.

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 CHOPPED PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Fill a large saucepan with 4 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt, return to a boil, and stir in rice, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and cardamom seeds. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let stand in a sieve.
• Place a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and cook until melted. Remove 3 tablespoons melted butter and set aside. Add onions and saffron to skillet and cook, stirring until onions are golden, about 8 minutes. Spread onion in an even layer in skillet.
• Season rice with salt. Spoon half of rice over onion, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with apricots and cherries. Evenly spread remaining rice over fruit, pressing down firmly to compact.
• Drizzle reserved butter evenly over the top. Cover skillet with a double layer of parchment-lined aluminum foil, pressing down on the top and crimping the edges. Transfer to oven and bake 1 hour.
• Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover, and invert a large round platter over the skillet. Carefully, turn the skillet and platter over. Remove skillet, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

PERSIAN STEAMED WHITE RICE (CHELO)

Steps:

• To cook the rice
• 1. Fill a large nonstick saucepan (at least 6 quarts) with 12 cups water; add oil and salt. Cover and bring to a brisk boil over high heat.
• 2. Add the rice and continue cooking over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally.
• 3. After 3-5 minutes, use a slotted spoon to scoop some grains from the water. Break one grain in half to make sure it is "al dente" (see above). Turn off the heat and pour rice into the colander to drain; set aside.
• To steam and make tadig
• 1. Place the empty 6-quart saucepan back onto the stovetop over medium heat. Add 1/4-inch canola oil and 2 tablespoons water. Add turmeric and/or saffron powder. Stir together.
• 2. Add the drained rice and shape it into a pyramid. Cover the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes until rice begins to steam.
• 3. Uncover and place 2 paper towels (one on top of the other) over the rice. The ends will extend outside the pot. Replace the lid tightly.
• 4. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and tilt the lid until ready to serve.
• 5. With a wide spatula, scoop the rice from the pot, making sure not to disturb the crust (tadig) that formed on the bottom of the pot. Serve the rice on a flat serving platter, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Turn the tadig out onto a flat serving platter by inverting the pot, as you would invert a cake pan, or cut it into pieces and serve around the rice.
• Optional garnish: Saffron Rice
• 1. To make saffron water, mix together 1 teaspoon crushed saffron threads and 1/4 cup hot water. Steep for a few minutes, until the water becomes yellow.
• 2. Mix saffron water with steamed white rice. Use this intensely yellow rice to make designs on the Chelo.
• To reheat this rice:
• Pour 1/2 cup water mixed with 1/4 cup canola oil onto the pyramid in a large pot. You can also freeze this rice, as long as you do not stir it until it is completely defrosted. You can even cook it, freeze it, and later steam it as it defrosts. I know I will have to spend time in "rice hell" for admitting to freezing Persian rice, but it is worth it to make my life easier!