I’ll do the basic rice for now.
start with basmati rice. You have to go to a ME for for the good stuff! Tilda is expensive and a bit meh.
Use about 1 cup dry rice per person and rinse it in cold water, rub your hands through it and give it a real wash until the water runs clear. Cover in cold water and leave to soak for an hour or so.
rinse and then boil (I don’t add salt but some people do) until it’s almost cooked. Don’t stir loads or it will be mushy.
sieve and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process
Put a little water in the bottom of your pan (enough to cover) and a tablespoon of veg oil. Heat.
pour the rice in and make it into a pyramid shape. Pop on the lid (close the steal holes) and leave it for a couple of minutes.
Take off the lid, pour over about half a cup of water (you shield hear it sizzle) then put a tea towel over the top and jam the lid on (I tie the towel over the top of the lid so that I don’t set it on fire).
Leave on high until you hear a ‘tic tic’ sound - just a minute or so, then turn the heat down to almost the lowest setting. Leave for at least 20 mins.
saffron - to colour the rice, grind up a pinch of this and add hot water. Leave to one side. When you are almost ready to eat, take off the lid (mind the steam) and pour it over the top, I usually fill the mortar with water again and pour that over too) and put the lid back on. When ready to eat I take off the lid and give the rice a bit of a light ‘scrape’ with a spaghetti-serving spoon to distribute the colour. Some people serve and add a knob of butter (to melt into the rice).
Now Tadhig is a whooooole thing on itself and there are loads of ways of making it.
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don’t do anything special but just do as above then steam the rice on a slightly higher temp to get the golden crispy finish (I add some ground saffron to the water in the bottom to enhance the colour).
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thinly slice potatoes and add these to the pan after you have put in the small amount of water and oil before the pyramid stage. This is my favourite.
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aunt makes it with yoghurt - I’m not quite sure how but it’s bloody lovely. Must find out.
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bread - ive only just found this one and am investigating!
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adding herbs and stuff…
you add flavours in layers - so a layer of rice, then sprinkle on the herbs or lentils, another layer of rice, another layer of herbs….
sabzi polov (herbs) - I buy the ready mixed dried herbs (nicer taste and texture) and will sometimes add some fresh herbs or some baby garlic (this looks like long spring onions).
Adas polov (lentils) - those little greeny brown lentils. Cook them first (until almost cooked) then add in layers. Some crazy people add sultanas (yuk).
baghali (Broad beans) - just peeled Broad beans and fried dill - again in layers.
zereshk - barberries. Get ones that are like little rubies. Wash and pop in the pan with a little oil and tiny bit of sugar as they are rather tart. Same as above, in layers. Not nice cold though - the berries are tart!
albaloo - only for the truly crazy. It has cherries in it a makes me sick! I call it jammy polov. Weird one.
How much of each ingredient I hear you ask? As much or as little as you like!
now we get to the advanced rice making…
loobia - cook onion, carrots and green beans with tomato, turmeric… so it’s like a little stew. I add a dried lime - I really like them. It sure it’s ‘traditional’. Some people like to add cinnamon. Let it cook, they layer it up with rice (always start with a layer of the plain rice). It takes a bit of practice to get the moisture levels right as you don’t want the rice to cook in the juice and become mushy. It’s worth it though and one of my favourites.
there are loads of recipes.
Best thing to have with it -
borani - steam some spinach, add some garlic salt to taste then mix into yoghurt.
mast o khiar - grate cucumber (squeeze out the liquid), add crushed up dried mint and garlic salt, yoghurt. And no, it’s not Tadzhiki (yes it is).
salad salad salad and more salad (fresh herbs, feta, walnuts, radish, spring onions).
These are the bare-arsed basic versions as I am lazy, but some people really go to town with lots of ingredients.
there are some amazing vegetable stews (pomegranate and walnut is a favourite) and grilled salmon is popular.
A Persian kebab (for the meat eaters) is pretty awesome and very easy (grate an onion and shove your thin slice of meat onto a Tupperware dish with it and marinade over night). Wipe off the onion and griddle with some tomatoes.