A Taste of Persian Cuisine
Saffron Basmati Rice with Tahdig
I am lucky enough to have a dear friend who shared with me not only an amazing meal, but also her beautiful love for Persian cooking and food.
My friend Joann an Italian girl from long Island met her husband Ray on the campus of CW Post in 1977. When she was using her Dad's car and got a flat tire, along comes a handsome young co-ed with a new grasp on the English language to save the day. They saw each other in passing over the next few years on campus, but that was all. Five years later on a subway going downtown Manhattan their paths crossed again. It was Bashert, meant to be. By then Ray's English was much better, they started dating soon after, and Joann and Ray were married in 1985.
Ray is from Tehran the capital of Iran, he came to the US to go to College in 1975. After they were married, Rays parent's would come to visit for 41 day stays. While they were here Joann would learn to cook the traditional Persian dishes from her mother in law. Using Persian flavors and spices, in dishes like Bademjan beef and eggplant stew, Chicken Kabob, Kotlet fried chopped meat and potato patty, and Shirazi salad.
Graciously Joanne shared some of her amazing recipes with me. One of my favorites which is a staple for Persian meals is the delicious aromatic Basamati Rice with the secret Jewel Tahdig. Following Joann's lead the rice dish is a knock out, and that is what I am sharing with you.
My friend Joann not only learned to cook these dishes that were her husband's favorites, she did it with ease and finesse. Joann's Persian cooking is truly the best!
Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati long grain rice
Lavash bread or 2 potatoes peeled and slices thin
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine for parve
pinch of crushed saffron
olive oil
salt
The morning of the day you are serving the dish, soak the rice in salted water for about 4-5 hours in a large covered Teflon saute pan.
Rinse the rice and return to the pan with fresh salted water, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. or till you can just bite through it. and strain.
Drizzle olive oil over the bottom of the pan.
Cover bottom of the pan with either torn pieces of Lavash bread or sliced potatoes. Then pour the drained rice over. In between the pot and the cover lay a few sheets of paper towel or a dish cloth. Turn burner to the lowest heat possible and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
In a small bowl mix the melted margerine or butter, crushed safron and 2 tablespoons hot water. Fluff and incorpaerate into the rice. Raise the temperature to medium for the 15 minutes.
To serve scoop off the rice, run bottom of pot under cold water till you hear a sizzle, to loosen up the potatoes or lavash. Make sure not to get water in the inside of the pot with the hidden Jewel the crispy cruchny tahdig.
Turn the pan over on top of rice or pull the crispy bread or potatoes from the bottom of the pan.and gently tarn the tahdig in generous pieces.