Crusty Persian Rice With Cinnamon And Pistachio Recipes

CRUSTY PERSIAN RICE WITH CINNAMON AND PISTACHIO

Steps:

• Put rice in medium bowl with water to cover. Drain and repeat procedure 5 times. Return rice to the bowl and gently fill the bowl with cold running water. Keep the water running gently into the bowl until the liquid runs clear. Drain, return rice to the bowl with water to cover, and let stand for at least 6 hours. Can let stand at room temperature overnight. Bring 4 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons salt to boil in a soup kettle. Keep the water boiling while slowly adding the drained rice. Simmer for 5 minutes; rinse with cold running water and drain thoroughly. Remove 1 cup of rice and stir in the saffron threads; set aside. Put the plain rice in a large bowl. Peel a 3- by 1-inch strip of zest from the orange and cut into ⅛ -inch dice. Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a small saucepan, add the zest, and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain the zest and pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet and sauté the zest for 15 seconds; add the sugar and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in cinnamon, pistachios, raisins, and ¼ teaspoon salt; sauté, stirring continuously to coat with butter-sugar mixture. Stir zest mixture into the plain rice. Melt the remaining butter. Coat the bottom and sides of a heavy, lidded, 3-quart saucepan (preferably cast iron) with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter mixed with the oil. Heat the coated pan until hot. Remove from the heat and spread half of the zested rice over the bottom of the pan, pressing down well with a spoon. Cover with a mound of the remaining zested rice. Sprinkle the saffron rice over the top. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of the rice deep enough to reach the bottom of the pan. Make 2 or 3 additional holes in the rice to allow steam to escape. Drizzle rice with remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Cook rice for 6 minutes over low heat, uncovered. Wrap lid in a linen towel, securing towel ends under or around lid handle. Cover the pot with the towel-wrapped lid and steam over low heat for 40 to 60 minutes, until a crisp golden crust forms on the bottom of the rice. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. SERVING: Spoon soft, fluffy rice onto a platter. Break the bottom crust into pieces and arrange around the fluffy rice. Serve immediately.

PERSIAN RICE WITH PISTACHIOS AND DILL

Steps:

• Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a large sieve.
• Bring water and salt to a boil in a 6-quart heavy pot and parboil rice, uncovered, 5 minutes. Drain in large sieve.
• Melt butter in bottom of cleaned pot and spoon rice over it, alternating with sprinklings of dill and pistachios and mounding loosely, ending with rice. Make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot with round handle of a wooden spoon, then cover pot with a kitchen towel and a heavy lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid (to keep towel from burning) and cook rice, undisturbed, over moderately low heat until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Spoon loose rice onto a platter and dip bottom of pan in a large bowl of cold water 30 seconds to loosen tah-dig (the rice crust on the bottom). Remove tah-dig with a large spoon and serve in a separate bowl or over loose rice.

PERSIAN RICE

Steps:

• Bring water and kosher salt to a boil in a pot; add rice and cook, stirring, for exactly 7 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Cover bottom of pot with 1 layer of potato slices. Sprinkle cumin and salt over potatoes. Cook until potatoes are sizzling, 2 to 3 minutes; top potatoes with rice to form an even layer. Reduce heat to low and place butter slices over rice.
• Top pot with a layer of clean paper towels and place lid over towels. Steam until rice is fluffy, about 45 minutes.
• Grind saffron threads with a mortar and pestle. Mix crushed saffron with 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water in a large bowl. Add a couple spoonfuls of rice to saffron mixture and stir until rice is yellow.
• Spoon remaining rice into a serving bowl, top with saffron rice, and line edges of bowl with potatoes. Garnish with parsley.

PERSIAN RICE WITH CINNAMON, PISTACHIOS AND GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• In a saute pan heat the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and saute for about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains begin to turn golden.
• Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic, orange peel, cinnamon and curry powder. Saute another minute, stirring until the mixture starts to smell fragrant. Now add the water, cover the pan, turn down the heat to a simmer.
• Cook the rice for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pistachios and golden raisins/sultanas. Remove the orange peels before serving or warn everyone not to eat them.