Authors: Louisa Shafia

The New Persian Kitchen (22 page)

BOOK: The New Persian Kitchen

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sweet rice with carrots and nuts
shirin polo

This colorful rice dish infused with orange and cardamom is a close cousin of
jeweled rice
; it’s a bit less complex but just as beautiful. Traditionally,
shirin polo
is paired with spiced baked chicken, so you may want to prepare it with the
Turmeric Chicken with Sumac and Lime
or the
Chicken Kebabs in Yogurt Marinade
. Be sure to zest only the outer layer of the orange, because the white pith underneath will make the dish bitter. The mild flavor of unrefined coconut oil complements the sweetness of this rice and can make for an interesting variation on the traditional butter.

serves 6 to 8

2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 1 hour

3 cups water

Sea salt

2 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil, at room temperature

3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil

1 yellow onion, finely diced

2 scant cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)

½ cup slivered or coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

Grated zest of 1 large orange

¼ cup honey

½ teaspoon saffron,
ground and steeped
in 1 tablespoon hot water

Drain the rice and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. (Try making
tahdig
! Bring a large pot three-quarters full of salted water to a boil and follow the instructions in
How to Make Tahdig
for making one of four styles of
tahdig.
You’ll rejoin this recipe in the next to last paragraph, and mix the carrots and nuts with the rice just as if you’ve been following this recipe all along. Good luck!)

In a stockpot, combine the water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice, return to a boil, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes, then dot with the butter and fluff with a fork. The rice should be dry and fluffy.

While the rice cooks, heat a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion in the coconut oil for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the carrots, almonds, cinnamon, cardamom, and turmeric, and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Add ½ cup pistachios, the orange zest, and the honey and cook for about 2 minutes, until heated through. Season with salt.

Scoop the rice into a large bowl. Add the carrot mixture and drizzle in the saffron. Mix gently and season with salt. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon pistachios.

rice with rose petals and barberries
zereshk polo

This rice is like a garden, filled with fragrant rose petals and brilliant berries, but its sweet appearance belies a deep, savory taste that’s punctuated by bold bursts of tartness. This is my simplified version of barberry rice, a classic Persian dish that’s far more complex than this one. If you can’t find barberries, substitute coarsely chopped dried cranberries or dried sour cherries.

serves 6 to 8

2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 1 hour

3 cups water

Sea salt

2 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil, at room temperature

2 shallots, minced

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

¼ cup dried rose petals or dried whole rosebuds pulled apart and stems removed, plus extra for garnish

½ cup barberries, soaked in warm water for ½ hour and drained

½ teaspoon saffron,
ground and steeped
in 1 tablespoon hot water

Drain the rice and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. (Try making
tahdig
! Bring a large pot three-quarters full of salted water to a boil, and follow the instructions in
How to Make Tahdig
for making one of four styles of
tahdig.
You’ll rejoin this recipe in the next to last paragraph, and mix the rose petals and barberries with the rice just as if you’ve been following this recipe all along. Good luck!)

In a stockpot, bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the rice, return to a boil, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes, then dot with the butter and fluff with a fork. The rice should be dry and fluffy.

While the rice cooks, heat a small sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the shallots in the oil for about 10 minutes, until they just start to brown. Add the rose petals and barberries and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the barberries are tender.

In a large bowl, combine the barberry mixture with the rice and drizzle the saffron over the top. Mix gently and season to taste with salt. Garnish with rose petals.

How to Make Tahdig

If you like crackly pan scraps, have an appetite for anything extra crispy, or if you prefer your food more darkly tanned than pale, then you must try making
tahdig
(pronounced
tah-DEEG)
.
Tahdig
is the panfried layer of crust at the bottom of the rice pot and, in fact, it literally translates as “the bottom of the pot” in Persian. When made well,
tahdig
looks like a perfectly caramelized disk, and it can be detached from the pot and served whole, or broken into jagged, golden shards. At Iranian family feasts,
tahdig
is possibly the one dish that will disappear entirely from the table—there are simply no leftovers. Ever. Think of
tahdig
as Persian “soul food.” It’s the ultimate in crunchy, golden goodness—somewhere between fried chicken and popcorn—and making it is a skill worth perfecting. (See the
tahdig
layer on top of the
tah chin
in this photo
.)

The basic premise of making
tahdig
is that by putting extra cooking fat in the bottom of the rice pot (or skillet, which is what I use), the bottom layer of the rice gets panfried while the rice above it gets steamed. There are a handful of classic approaches to making
tahdig.
The simplest is to use plain rice. Another method is to mix the rice with yogurt to give it a thick, pasty texture before spreading it in the pot. Yet another technique is to line the bottom of the pot with a layer of flat lavash bread before topping it with rice.

Both the yogurt and bread methods help ensure that the
tahdig
comes out intact—they are tricks to help the cook, if you will. The final and perhaps most glorious method of making
tahdig
calls for adding sliced potatoes to the bottom of the pan. This last is pure embellishment, with no purpose other than making the
tahdig
even tastier.

Below are instructions for how to make each of the four variations that I’ve described. The rice recipes in this book are written as simple pilafs, but you can use these techniques to give any one of them a layer of
tahdig
.

You can add a dash of color and flavor to
tahdig
by sprinkling it with a pinch of turmeric or a pinch of ground saffron steeped in 1 tablespoon hot water, before layering the rest of the rice on top.

With any of the following
tahdig
methods, you can stir a single whisked egg white into the rice before spreading it over the bottom of the pan. Although it will make your
tahdig
taste mildly of egg, the egg white ensures that your
tahdig
will not fall apart.

Note:
To make
tahdig
using a whole grain, simply follow the instructions in Step 1 of the Basic Rice with
Tahdig
recipe (below). Check the grain as it boils to see when it’s almost cooked through, as it will take a whole grain longer than white rice to reach the parcooked stage. When the grain is parcooked, drain it under cold water and proceed with Step 2.

Basic Rice with Tahdig

makes 5½ cups rice plus one 10-inch disk of tahdig

2 cups white basmati rice

3 tablespoons refined coconut oil, ghee, or grapeseed oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Step 1:
Parcook the rice

Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Swish the rice around a few times, then drain and rinse the rice in cold water until the rinse water runs clear. In a stockpot, combine 8 cups water and 2 heaping tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil, uncovered,
as it can easily boil over. After 5 minutes, test a grain of the rice by breaking it in half. The rice is ready when it’s soft but the center is still opaque and not fully cooked. Drain and rinse the rice under cold water to stop the cooking. Measure out 2 cups rice and set aside.

Step 2:
Make the tahdig layer

Heat a deep 10-inch cast-iron skillet or enamel paella pan over low heat for a few minutes. Add the oil (if your skillet is bigger than 10 inches, add an additional 2 tablespoons oil), followed by the 2 cups reserved rice. Spread the rice evenly over the bottom of the pan, and pack it down tightly with an offset spatula or large wooden spoon. Sprinkle the sea salt over the rice.

Step 3:
Shape the rice into a pyramid and cook

Add the rest of the rice and shape it into a pyramid. Poke several holes in the rice with a chopstick to let steam escape. Cover and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook the rice for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to very low and place a clean dish towel or
damkoni
under the lid to catch condensation, and cover the pan tightly. If you have a flame tamer, put it between the burner and the bottom of the skillet to disperse the cooking heat. Cook for 50 minutes.

Step 4:
Separate the rice from the tahdig and serve

Lift the lid from the pan. There will be condensation trapped under the lid, so avoid tilting it over the rice and inadvertently pouring the steam water back in. Gently scoop the rice onto a serving platter, making sure not to disturb the
tahdig
at the bottom. Loosen the sides of the
tahdig
with a butter knife and flip it onto a plate, or remove it from the pan with an offset spatula. Serve whole or broken in pieces.

Rice with Yogurt Tahdig

makes 5½ cups rice plus one 10-inch disk of tahdig

Use thick Greek-style yogurt for making yogurt
tahdig
because regular yogurt is too watery to produce a crisp crust. You can make thick yogurt by draining regular yogurt in a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth for 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. You’ll need to drain about four times the amount of yogurt called for, because the yogurt shrinks as it drains.

2 cups white basmati rice

3 tablespoons thick Greek-style yogurt

3 tablespoons refined coconut oil, ghee, or grapeseed oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Step 1:
Parcook the rice

Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Swish the rice around a few times, then drain and rinse the rice in cold water until it runs clear. In a stockpot, combine 8 cups water and 2 heaping tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil, uncovered, as it can easily boil over. After 5 minutes, test a grain of the rice by breaking it in half. The rice is ready when it’s soft but the center is still opaque and not fully cooked. Drain and rinse the rice under cold water to stop the cooking. Measure out 2 cups rice, mix with the yogurt to form a thick paste, and set aside.

Step 2:
Make the tahdig layer

Heat a deep, 10-inch cast-iron skillet or enamel paella pan over low heat for a few minutes. Add the oil (if your skillet is bigger than 10 inches, add an additional 2 tablespoons oil), followed
by the yogurt and
rice mixture. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan, and pack it down tightly with an offset spatula or large wooden spoon. Sprinkle the sea salt over the rice.

Step 3:
Shape the rice into a pyramid and cook

Step 4:
Separate the rice from the tahdig and serve

Lift the lid from the pan. There will be condensation trapped under the lid, so avoid tilting it over the rice and inadvertently pouring the steam water back in. Gently scoop the rice onto a serving platter, making sure not to disturb the
tahdig
at the bottom. Loosen the sides of the
tahdig
with a butter knife and flip it onto a plate, or remove from the pan with an offset spatula. Serve whole or broken in pieces.

Rice with
Lavash Tahdig

Makes 5½ cups rice plus one 10-inch disk of tahdig

Lavash is a flatbread eaten in the Middle East and Central Asia. It’s the bread that most often accompanies
Sabzi Khordan
(
Fresh Herb Platter
), and it’s served with kebabs because it’s a perfect tool for pulling the meat from the skewer without getting your hands dirty. Lavash comes in large sheets, and it’s easy to tear off a piece big enough to fit the bottom of your
tahdig
skillet. It is widely available in Middle Eastern and natural foods markets, but if you can’t find it, use pita bread as a substitute.

2 cups white basmati rice

Lavash bread

3 tablespoons refined coconut oil, ghee, or grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon sea salt

Step 1:
Parcook the rice

Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Swish the rice around a few times, then drain and rinse the rice in cold water until the rinse water runs clear. In a stockpot, combine 8 cups water and 2 heaping tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil, uncovered, as it can easily boil over. After 5 minutes, test a grain of the rice by breaking it in half. The rice is ready when it’s soft but the center is still opaque and not fully cooked. Drain and rinse the rice under cold water to stop the cooking. Measure out 2 cups rice and set aside.

Step 2:
Line the skillet with the lavash

Heat a deep, 10-inch cast iron skillet or enamel paella pan over low heat for a few minutes. Cut out a piece of lavash to cover the bottom of the skillet. If you want to be exact, trace the skillet on the lavash with a knife before you begin to cook. Add the oil (if your skillet is bigger than 10 inches, add an additional 2 tablespoons oil). Fit the bread into the pan. If the lavash goes up the sides of the skillet a little ways, just oil the sides of the skillet to prevent burning. If you’re using pita bread instead of lavash, cut it in pieces so it covers the pan in a single layer. Even if the pita bread is patchworked with
odd-size pieces, you’ll still get
tahdig
that’s even and intact. Drizzle the bread with 1 tablespoon of the water.

Step 3:
Make the tahdig layer

Spread the 2 cups reserved rice evenly over the bread, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon water. Pack it down tightly with an offset spatula or large wooden spoon. Sprinkle the sea salt over the rice.

Step 4:
Shape the rice into a pyramid and cook

Step 5:
Separate the rice from the tahdig and serve

Lift the lid from the pan. There will be condensation trapped under the lid, so avoid tilting it over the rice and inadvertently pouring the steam water back in. Gently scoop the rice onto a serving platter, making sure not to disturb the
tahdig
at the bottom. Loosen the sides of the
tahdig
with a butter knife and flip it onto a plate, or remove from the pan with an offset spatula. Serve whole or broken in pieces.

Rice with Potato Tahdig

Makes 5½ cups rice plus one 10-inch disk of tahdig

Potato
tahdig
is a rare treat. The potatoes get sweeter and their flavor intensifies as they caramelize. After you line the bottom of the skillet with the potatoes, you may have some leftover slices, but don’t try to crowd them in. It’s important the potatoes are in a single layer, otherwise your
tahdig
won’t cook evenly. Use the extra potatoes for a different recipe, or panfry them on their own and use them to garnish the rice.

3 tablespoons refined coconut oil, ghee, or grapeseed oil

1 large Yukon gold potato or 2 medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced into
¼
-inch-thick rounds

2 cups white basmati rice

Sea salt

Step 1:
Parcook the rice

BOOK: The New Persian Kitchen

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