Persian Rice Recipe
"Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something." Mitch Hedberg
I agree. Sometimes I just want two thousand delicious grains of rice. I've never been a big fan of stories or childhood memories riddled with ads before recipes. So, here we go. If you have any questions contact me.
For 2 people
Ingredients:
1 cups of Basmati rice
Water
Salt
Cooking oil
Flour tortilla (or potato slices, or none for Rice Tahdig*)
Instructions:
Rinse the Rice: Rinse the rice three times until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch.
Prepare to Boil: Fill your rice pot with enough water so it won’t be fully absorbed during boiling. Add salt and a bit of oil to the water.
Boil the Rice: Bring the water to a boil on high heat with the lid slightly ajar. If you close the lid, the content foams up and will make a mess on your stove. If that happens, just remove the lid and continue cooking. Cook rice until it's al dente - on the softer side at the center of the grain but not too soft.
Strain and Rinse: Strain the rice in a colander and rinse with cold water. This process makes the grains stretch taller. I heard that from my grandma once.
Prepare the Pot: Place the empty pot back on the stove over high heat to evaporate any remaining water droplets.
Add Oil: Once the pot is dry, coat the bottom with oil - healthy amount but not too much - and let it heat up.
Layer for Tahdig: Place a flour tortilla, potato slices, or nothing at the bottom of the pot for the Tahdig. Gently add the rice on top.
Cook : Once you hear a sizzling sound, reduce the heat to low and close the lid tightly.
Final Cook: Let the rice cook for 45 minutes without lifting the lid. You'll be tempted, but resist because if you lift the lid, it's all over. All that hard work.
Optional Butter Finish: After 40-45 minutes, you may lift the lid. If desired, add butter on top of the rice and turn the heat to high for 30 seconds to a minute to make the Tahdig even crispier. Be cautious as this can sometimes cause burning, depending on your stove.
Notes:
*Tahdig is a delicacy that refers to the crispy, golden layer at the bottom of the pot. It's considered the most prized part of a rice dish. The word "tahdig" literally means "bottom of the pot" in Farsi.
Each stove is different, so it may take a few tries to get the timing just right. Adjust as needed based on your stove's heat output.
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