The Art of Persian Rice

Have you ever eaten Persian rice? If no, please make a visit to the nearest Persian restaurant to taste the fragrant and fluffy of Persian rice. It is not like normal Malay style rice which we just simply put in rice cooker, turn the switch on and ting! done. It is specially cooked with art. There are 2 types of Persian rice. One is polow which I will show in this post and another one is kateh which is a simpler version. But the one which is delicious is polow. To get a super delish rice, of course it will involved a super complicated steps. I am showing a portion for 2 persons servings. 

Ingredients:

~ 2 cups of basmathi rice (Persian rice better, but hard to find). Soak with water and 2 tbsp salt for at least 30 minutes

~ 1 large potato. This is for tahdig, a crunchy bottom of rice. You can substitute with bread or boiled spaghetti. If you like to get only rice tahdig, no need to put anything. But because my pot is large and if I didn't put potato, the amount of rice left is not enough for 2 persons.

~ Salt

~ Oil

~ 1/2 tsp Saffron dissolve in 2 tbsp warm water

Methods:

1. Boil some water, drain the soaked rice and pour in the boiling water with 2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil. After 7-8 minutes or when you see the rice expand in length and soft in the ends, drain the rice, rinse with cold water.

2. In same pot, pour some oil, place the sliced potatoes - medium heat.

3. Pour back the drained rice, make 3 hole with the back of spatula, pour half cup of water inside the holes.

4. When steam come out, lower the heat, cover with paper towels. This step is to avoid the dropping water from steaming process to drop back to the rice. Let it cook for about 50-60 minutes.

To serve, take some of rice and put into the saffron liquid. Decorate with your own creativity.

These are some of Persian rice I cooked. 

The crispy gold bottom layer - tahdig

Potato tahdig

Saffron decoration

This with bread tadig

Makaroni/ Spaghetti Tahdig

Til then, have a great foods in a wonderful life :)