Tadig Persian Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Make sure the pot is a heavy bottom pot.).
• Add 3-4 tablespoons of salt to the water.
• Scoop out the desired amount of rice into a bowl (whatever amount you want, just remember 1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked).
• Pour water over it to rinse it and then pour the water off.
• Repeat this until the water runs clear.
• Add the rice to the boiling water.
• Boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
• Bring pot to the sink and turn the cold water on to make the starchy water overflow.
• Drain into a colander.
• Put the pot back onto the stove at medium to medium high heat (this may vary depending on your stove) and add oil (enough to just cover the bottom).
• In a small bowl, melt butter (about 1 tablespoon of butter per cup of dry rice) with a pinch saffron in it (if you have a mortar and pestel, grind the saffron first, otherwise, don't worry about it).
• Sprinkle the rice with a spoon into a mound in the pan on the stove.
• Poke 3-4 holes into the top and pour the butter down the holes.
• Take a scoop of the rice from the mound and stir in the bowl used to melt the butter (just to get the last of the saffron butter out).
• Put the rice back into the pot.
• Place about 3 layers of paper towels to cover the top of the pan and then place the lid tightly over the pan.
• Cook at the medium-medium high heat for 8 minutes.
• Turn the stove down to the lowest temperature it will go and steam for 35 more minutes.
• To serve, scoop the rice out from the top of the pan being careful not to brake the crust on the bottom.
• Once all the rice is out except for the crust (tadig), take another plate, big enough to cover the opening of the pan and flip the crust out onto the pan. It should be golden brown and beautiful! If it is black, the temperature of your stove was too high and the entire pot of rice may taste burnt.
• Once you get the hang of this you can try using sliced rounds of potato or pita bread on the bottom of the pan before you sprinkle in the boiled rice (both of these options are very yummy!).

Steps:

• Rinse rice until water runs clear. Add rice, water, yogurt, spices and salt into rice cooker pot, mix well. Turn on rice cooker and let it work it's magic.
• Once rice cooker turns off. Leave lid on rice for about 10 minutes to complete steaming.
• Now onto making the Tadig. Heat 3 tablespoon oil on medium-high in a 12" cast iron pan or heavy bottomed pan until hot but not smoking. Add cooked rice to pan and toss rice gently to coat with oil. Please try to not break up the grains of rice. Make sure the whole bottom of pan is covered with rice and press down a little bit to make sure the rice is densely covering the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low or medium depending on the heat of your burner. Use the handle of wooden spoon to make 4 holes all the way to the bottom of the pan in the rice. Pour the remaining olive oil into each of the hole and tilt pan to spread oil throughout the bottom of the pan. Put a lid on pan leaving about a 1 inch gap to allow steam to escape.
• Leave on burner about 15 minutes to brown and crisp up the bottom layer of rice. That's why the lid cannot be closed tight.
• Once the bottom layer is done to your liking (I like it brown like the color of the outside of a chestnut). Flip the pan of rice onto a large platter with the bottom crust on top. Serve.
• It may take a couple of tries to figure out your pan, burner combination to make the Tadig to your liking.

Steps:

• Grind saffron threads with sugar in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl and dissolve in boiling water. Set aside to soak.
• Wash starch from the rice by rinsing it in a nonstick 4-quart pot. Rinse 3 or 4 times in lukewarm water until water runs clear. Fill the pot 3/4 full with cold water, covering the rice. Bring to a boil. Add olive oil and cook until rice is soft on the outside and still crunchy in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain rice and rinse with cool water. Set aside. Rinse any excess rice starch out of the pot.
• Melt butter in the clean, dry pot. Mound rice over the butter; add enough water to reach 1/3 of the height of the rice. Sprinkle salt over the rice. Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel and cover the pot to seal tightly. Simmer over medium heat until all water is absorbed and a crispy crust starts to form on the bottom, about 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork while turning it out on a plate. Measure 1 cup rice and mix with the saffron water. Scatter saffron rice over plain rice. Detach the layer of crust, or 'tahdig', from the bottom of the pot and serve in a separate dish as a special treat.

Steps:

• Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Swish the water a couple times with your hands, then rinse the rice in a large mesh sieve or colander with small drainage holes. Repeat the process until the water runs clear. Put the rice back in the bowl and cover with 3 cups cold water along with 1 tablespoon salt; give it a couple of stirs. Let soak 1 hour.
• Add 8 cups water and the remaining 3 tablespoons salt to a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water, giving a stir. Let cook until the water begins to bubble again, about 3 minutes. Check the rice: It should be al dente (soft on the outside with a slight bite in the center). If still not al dente, cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Drain the rice and rinse briefly with warm water. Taste the rice: If it seems too salty, rinse it again. Set the rice aside in the sieve.
• Stir the saffron and 3 tablespoons hot water together in a small cup.
• Place a 6-quart nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add the ghee and half of the saffron water. Swirl to melt and completely coat the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pot. When the ghee begins to sizzle, add enough rice to coat the bottom of the pot evenly, about 1 1/2 inches high. Press down gently but firmly with a spatula or a measuring cup to compact the rice and press about 2 inches up the sides to form a crust. Gently spoon the remaining rice over the top, forming a small mound in the center. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make 6 deep holes to vent steam down into the rice, stopping before hitting the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and cook for about 10 minutes (you will see steam coming from underneath the lid).
• Whisk the melted butter together with the remaining saffron water. Remove the lid from the pot, being careful not to drip condensation back into the pot. Turn the heat to low. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel, securing at the top to keep loose ends away from the fire. Drizzle the saffron butter into the rice. Cover with the lid and continue to cook, rotating the pot every so often for even browning, until the crust is deeply golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Let stand 5 minutes, then check that the bottom is detached from the pot with an offset spatula, loosening it gently if necessary. Place a platter over the top of the pot, using kitchen towels to hold the sides, and in one quick motion, invert the pot and the rice onto the platter. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat if using gas, or a medium-high heat if using electric. Fill the pan with boiling water and add the rice with a generous handful of crushed sea salt flakes. Boil for 6-8 mins until the rice is parboiled. You will know it is parboiled when the colour of the grains turn from the normal dullish white to a more brilliant white, and the grains become slightly elongated and begin to soften.
• Drain the rice and rinse it immediately under cold running water for a couple of minutes until it is cool. Line the bottom of the saucepan used to parboil the rice with some non-stick baking parchment (see tip).
• Return the paper-lined saucepan to the hob and pour in a generous drizzle of the oil with the butter. Season the base of the pan with some crushed sea salt flakes. Scatter the rice into the pan. Ensure you scatter it, don't pack it in - you want the lightness of the falling rice to allow for steam to rise up. Wrap the pan lid in a tea towel (to lock in the steam and make for a secure, tight seal), cover the pan and cook the rice on the lowest temperature possible for 45 mins if using gas, or a medium-low heat for 1 hr 30 mins if using electric. The grains should be puffed up when cooked.
• Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the pan (it can help to place a large serving dish over the pan and flip the rice onto the dish). Scrape out the tahdig (this is the crusty bit, it means 'bottom of the pan') and serve on top of the rice.

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:

• Stir saffron and 2 Tbsp. lukewarm water in a small bowl; set aside to bloom.
• Meanwhile, place rice in a strainer or fine-mesh sieve and rinse with lukewarm water, swishing around with your hands to get rid of excess starch, until water runs clear. Cook rice in a large pot of boiling generously salted water for 7 minutes. Check one grain; it should be soft on the edges but firm inside. You should be able to break it into two using your fingertips, but the grain should still be firm in the middle. If not, cook 1 minute longer and check again. Drain rice and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
• Wipe out pot. Pour 1/3 cup oil into pot and heat over medium. Add saffron mixture, tilting pot to make sure it covers the bottom.
• Arrange potato slices in an even layer in bottom of pot. Season with 2 tsp. salt. Return rice to pot on top of potatoes in a mound (so it's higher in the middle than the edges) without pressing or packing it down. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make 5 holes in rice, going all the way down to the potato layer, so steam can escape. Pour 1/2 cup water around outer edge of potatoes. Cover lid with a clean dish towel, tying the ends up over the handle so they don't catch fire, then cover pot with lid. Cook over medium-high heat until steaming, 7-10 minutes (check after 7 minutes; if you don't see steam, cover and continue to cook).
• Pour remaining 1/4 cup oil evenly over rice, cover pot, and let steam over low heat until rice and potatoes are cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Taste to make sure rice is fully cooked; if not, add 1/4 cup more water, then let steam another 10 minutes.
• Spoon rice onto a platter. Using a spatula, lift crispy potatoes and rice off bottom of pot (this is the tahdig) and arrange, browned side up, over rice.

Steps:

• Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with water. Swirl the rice around to release some starch, then drain the bowl and fill again. Repeat several times, until water runs clear, then cover with ample water again and add 1 tablespoon salt. Let soak for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, fill a large soup or stockpot with 6 quarts water. Cover and bring to a boil. Add 7 tablespoons salt (the water should be very salty) and stir to dissolve.
• Use a small mortar and pestle to grind the saffron into a fine powder with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Use a large fine-mesh sieve or colander to drain the rice well. Add rice to the pot and stir gently, then return sieve to the sink. Cook rice, checking the grains frequently for doneness. When the rice breaks easily between your fingers when pressed but is not so soft that it falls apart, it's done. Most Persian or Indian basmati rice will take about 7 to 8 minutes to reach this point, but different brands will cook differently, so keep a closer eye on the rice than on the clock.
• Working quickly, drain rice into the sieve and rinse with cold water until cool to remove excess starch and keep rice from overcooking. Taste the rice and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Let the rice continue to drain.
• Use the lid of an 8-inch or 9-inch nonstick pot or cast-iron Dutch oven as a guide to trim the lavash bread into a slightly larger circle. It's fine to use more than one piece of bread and patch things as needed. Alternatively, use a tortilla, which needs no trimming.
• Place the pot over medium heat and add the oil. Carefully lay bread atop the oil and cook until it starts sizzling and turns a light golden color, about 30 seconds. Use tongs to flip bread and let it sizzle for another 30 seconds before adding the rice. Use a spatula to gently spread the rice evenly across the pot. Use the handle of the spatula to poke 6 to 8 holes in the rice down to the bread - this will encourage steam to escape from the bottom of the pot and yield a crisp crust.
• In a small saucepan set over low, heat the butter and the prepared saffron until butter melts. Drizzle over the rice. Wrap the lid of the rice pot with a clean dish towel, using the corners of the towel to tie a knot atop the handle. Cover the pot with the lid - the cloth should not touch the rice, but rather absorb steam as the rice cooks to keep it from getting soggy.
• Reduce the flame to medium-low (or low, if using cast-iron) and cook for about 48 minutes, rotating the pot a quarter turn every 12 minutes or so to ensure an evenly golden tahdig (add 12 more minutes for cast-iron). The rice will be done when the grains are elongated and dry and the edges of the crust turn a light golden brown.
• To serve, place a large platter or plate over the pot, gather your courage, praise your ancestors and flip the rice. It should drop onto the plate in one piece. Serve immediately. If not serving immediately, remove the tahdig to a separate platter to keep it from getting soggy as the rice continues to release steam.