Timman Zaffaran Iraqi Saffron Rice With Meat Recipes

Steps:

• Wash rice until water runs clear.
• Cover with cold water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
• Pound saffron threads, place in a small bowl (I use an Arabic coffee cup, which is perfect size for this) and add the rose water, leaving to steep until required.
• Heat half the oil or ghee in a frying pan (this part tastes better with ghee or butter), add the almonds and fry until becoming golden making sure not to burn them by watching them until done.
• Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Add onion to pan and fry gently until transparent.
• Increase heat, add meat and cook, stirring often to make meat crumbly. Fry until the juices evaporate, add baharat (Recipe #79179), 1/2 tsp salt and raisins and fry for 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat, cover and leave aside.
• Heat remaining oil or ghee in a deep large bottomed pot and add 2 tsp of the saffron-rosewater mixture and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
• Drain the rice and add it to the boiling stock with salt to taste. Stir occasionally until rice returns to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and cover pan tightly. Simmer gently until rice is done.
• Fold the meat mixture gently through the rice, cover rim of the pan with two paper towels and set lid on tightly. Leave on low heat for 5 minutes or longer if necessary. Rice should not spoil, though this depends on its quality.
• Pile rice in serving dish or platter and sprinkle with browned almonds and the rest of the saffron-rosewater. This is excellent served with Recipe #384628 or roast lamb or as part of a buffet.

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a colander under cold water until it runs clear, picking out any little pieces of grit or debris. Shake off the excess water. Heat a pot over medium heat, and then add the rice, oil, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper. Stir and toast the rice until the cayenne and saffron are fragrant, about 4 minutes. Shake the pot to level out the rice, and then add the chicken stock to fill about 1/2-inch over the rice. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer and cover to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand another 5 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork. Stir in the almond slivers and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper and serve.

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:

• 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.

Steps:

• Wash rice well in a sieve and drain.
• Heat olive oil or butter in a large based pot, add rice and stir over high heat for two minutes.
• Add stock and bring to high simmer stirring once at first to separate the grains from the bottom of the pot.
• Reduce heat to medium low and cover pot tightly for 15 minutes.
• Open pot and fluff rice with a fork.
• Place paper towels around rim and cover tightly again. (This makes for a fluffier grain).
• Reduce heat to low and leave for 25 minutes then remove paper towels and you can leave longer on low. (I actually preheat my oven to 350F instead of leaving mine on low and then I leave the rice pot on the burner that heat escapes from the oven until we are ready to eat. *Of course this only works if your stove is on top of your oven. I find a good quality grain lasts hours this way and is warm and ready to eat when you are).
• Meanwhile in a small dry pan toast pine nuts over medium high heat until golden. Watch carefully as they tend to burn quickly.
• Sprinkle over rice and fluff with a fork to incorporate.
• Enjoy with any meat stew, bamia (okra) dish or chicken.

Steps:

• Put the saffron in a small bowl and pour over the warm water. Bruise the strands with the back of a teaspoon to fix the colour, and set aside while you prepare the rest.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, weighty casserole, and when hot tip in the chicken. Stir fry for a minute or two over a high heat to seal in the juices, then set aside.
• Strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs and scatter into the pan along with the onions and garlic. Fry until golden then pour in the lime juice. Turn the heat down a tad, add the pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes before adding the wine, stock and seasoning. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 6 minutes until the meat is tender and the liquid has cooked down a little.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice in a pan of fast boiling water until tender, but with a slight bite. Drain in a colander and rinse with warm water. Heap over the chicken while still on the heat. Drizzle with the saffron and its soaking liquid, and scatter over the peas. Don't stir the chicken and rice at this stage, but cover and cook over a low-moderate heat until the rice is fluffy and the liquid reduced to a few tablespoons - about 3 minutes. Before serving, gently mix the saffron-streaked rice with the chicken and pepper mixture.