Shared by Nicole Enayati
Shared by Nicole Enayati
Polo ba Tahdig (Persian Rice with a Crispy Crust)
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 1 hour
Polo ba Tahdig (Persian Rice with a Crispy Crust)
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 1 hourFamily Journey
Tehran
Los Angeles
Rice is crucial to any Persian meal and tahdig, its crispy crust, is the most prized part. Making tahdig is all about technique and it can take some practice to master. To start: Be sure to rinse your rice well, so the grains don’t stick to one another. Next, parboil them and then start layering the rice in the pan carefully, cooking it over medium heat first to create that crunchy texture of the tahdig and then continuing to cook it over the lowest possible heat so the rice steams evenly. When it comes to flipping the rice onto a platter, it’s best to be sure of your setup and then flip with confidence.
This recipe comes from Nicole Hendizadeh. Read more about her family in “When an Expert Guest Finally Hosts Her First Persian Shabbat Dinner and try her recipes for khoresh gheymeh (Persian split pea stew) and homemade verjus
Ingredients
- 3 cups long grain, basmati rice
- 10 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon saffron, crushed and bloomed in 2 tablespoons cold water
- 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Preparation
Step 1
Place your rice into a large bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse until the water runs clear.
Step 2
In a large pot, bring 10 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The rice should be al dente, with a bit of white in the center of the grain. Drain and rinse with cold water, folding the rice gently.
Step 3
Place the rice into a large bowl and carefully fold in the bloomed saffron water and salt.
Step 4
In a deep 10-11 inch non-stick saucepan, add the grapeseed oil and heat over medium heat.
Step 5
Using a large spoon, gently spread about an inch of rice across the bottom of the pan. Avoid pressing down firmly — just flatten it lightly. Scatter the remaining rice evenly over the first layer.
Step 6
Let the rice cook over medium heat until it begins to crisp, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 7
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water evenly over the rice. Using the back of a wooden spoon, poke five holes through the rice all the way to the bottom of the pan to help it steam evenly.
Step 8
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. To catch excess steam, flip the lid upside down, wrap it in a clean dish towel, then flip it back over onto the pot. Gather the towel’s corners over the top of the lid and tie them securely to keep them away from the heat. Steam the rice over very low heat for 40–50 minutes, until the edges of the tahdig begin to brown. Remove from the heat and let it rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes before carefully inverting the pot onto a serving tray.
