Saffron Rice Or Tacheen Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups basmati rice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads. Add 1 1/2 cups each water and low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Let sit, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 2 sliced scallions.

Steps:

• Rinse rice several times.
• Cook rice in rice cooker or put rice in medium sauce pan along with 2 1/2 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer with the pan covered about 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is firm, but not mushy.
• Pour out any remaining water (if any) and set aside.
• Beat the eggs, yogurt, saffron water, and oil together.
• It should look like a creamy yellow sauce.
• Add rice and stir until all rice is coated with sauce.
• Turn into a 2 quart greased pyrex bowl or a 9 x 9 glass baking dish.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Let cool about 10 minutes.
• Loosen sides and invert onto serving dish.
• The outside will be a nice brown.
• Garnish with green and red grapes or lettuce or anything else you might wish.

Steps:

• Pre-heat your grill to medium-high.
• Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then leave to soak in a large bowl of water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. (Don't worry about the large amount of salt here, the rice has a very short time to absorb the water and the final result won't be too salty.) Add the rice and cook for 4-5 minutes over a medium heat. Taste to test; the rice should be soft on the outside but still hard and firm in the middle. Drain, then rinse with tepid water to stop it cooking any further and set aside.
• Make a saffron liquid by using a pestle and mortar to grind the saffron strands with a pinch of sugar and then add the boiled water. Leave to steep.
• Drizzle the eggplant slices with some sunflower oil and season generously with salt. Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the eggplants are cooked through.
• Meanwhile, make the rest of your filling. Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil with 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onion for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan along with the turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
• Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a small pan for a minute and then crush them with a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder, and add them too. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and then take off the heat.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the yogurt, saffron liquid, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Fold the rice in until it is evenly coated with the yogurt and saffron.
• Rub 1 tablespoon butter over the base and sides of a 10-cup ovenproof glass dish. Spoon half of the rice into the dish and press it down evenly. Add a layer of eggplants and mushrooms and finish with a final layer of rice.
• Dot with the remaining butter, cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the base of the tahcheen is crisp and golden brown.
• When the tahcheen is ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly while you make your topping. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and fry the barberries, pistachios, and sugar for 2 minutes until the sugar has melted and the dried fruit has plumped up.
• To serve, run a butter knife around the sides of the tahcheen to separate it from the dish. Place a large board over the top and quickly invert the whole thing. Garnish with a sprinkling of the barberry and pistachio topping.

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.
• Pour in rice and stir to coat. Stir in water, parsley flakes, saffron, and 3 drops of yellow food coloring (optional). Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.