Orange Persian Rice Recipes

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.

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.

Steps:

• Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add the rinsed rice and boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season lightly with salt and cook until softened and lightly colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Moisten with 1 tablespoon saffron water and stir in the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, black pepper and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the apricots, raisins (or currants) and barberries (or cherries or cranberries).
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed enamel or nonstick Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread half the par-cooked rice over the bottom of the pot. Spoon over the onion-fruit mixture, then the remaining rice. Leave the pot on the flame, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes to gently brown the rice. (Do not stir or move the rice - you will need to rely on your nose to tell if the rice has browned.)
• Drizzle the remaining saffron water over the rice and put on the lid. Adjust the heat to very low and leave undisturbed for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest at least 10 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat and gently toast the almonds and pistachios for a minute or so, taking care not to get them too brown. Set aside for garnish.
• To serve, spoon the rice into a wide bowl or platter. With a spatula, carefully lift the bottom crust, placing the crisp side up. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts.

Steps:

• Place rice in a medium saucepan; add 2 teaspoons salt and cold water to cover by 2". Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain rice, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.
• Place saffron and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid in a small bowl; let saffron soften for 5 minutes. Place yogurt in a medium bowl and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and saffron water. Add rice and stir to coat.
• Melt butter in a large deep nonstick skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat bottom and sides of pan. Add rice, mounding slightly in center. Poke 6-7 holes in rice with the end of a wooden spoon. Cover with foil, then a lid. Cook, rotating skillet over burner for even cooking, for 10 minutes (do not stir). Reduce heat to low; cook, adding more reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if rice has not finished cooking when water evaporates, until a golden brown crust forms on bottom of rice, 20-25 minutes.
• Remove lid and foil; invert a plate over skillet. Using oven mitts, carefully invert rice onto plate; use a heatproof spatula to remove any crust remaining in skillet.

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.

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!

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small dutch oven, or medium sized sauce pan, over medium heat.
• Add rice, stirring constantly until rice is lightly browned.
• Add salt, raisins, red pepper flakes, grated ginger-root, chicken broth, and orange juice.
• Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add fresh parsley (optional), grated orange zest, and toasted almonds.

Steps:

• Heat a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, add oil, onion, almonds, pistachios, saffron and cardamom pods.
• Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often until nuts turn golden, and saffron and onion are fragrant.
• Add rice, cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat with oil.
• Add stock, sultanas and a pinch of salt.
• Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until stock is absorbed and rice is tender, adding a splash more water if necessary.
• Allow to stand covered for 10 minutes.
• Stir through pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves.
• Spoon rice onto a large platter.

Steps:

• In a saute pan heat the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and saute for about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains begin to turn golden.
• Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic, orange peel, cinnamon and curry powder. Saute another minute, stirring until the mixture starts to smell fragrant. Now add the water, cover the pan, turn down the heat to a simmer.
• Cook the rice for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pistachios and golden raisins/sultanas. Remove the orange peels before serving or warn everyone not to eat them.

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to the package directions using orange juice in place of the water.
• Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest, carrot and green onion.
• Serve.