Let’s make what with what?
Rice – with a little bit of magic.
I was first introduced to this dish a little over seven years ago when Sohrab and I started dating. It quickly became one of my favorite things – a gateway drug, as it were, to the world of Iranian food. It’s part side dish, part appetizer.
In Farsi, berenj means rice. Plain and simple. It’s more specifically referring to basmati; a long grain rice traditionally from India. This is used throughout the Persian palate – from cholo kabob to estamboli polo.
Tahdig is even better. It’s crunchy rice, and it’s fought over at parties. You’ll see why soon.
But how much basmati do you need? Easy. 1 cup for every person you’re serving. 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil per cup of rice. Consider leftovers, as well. Sohrab and I have been known to make up to seven cups.
One of the most important steps you need to take is to wash your rice. Just put it in a bowl in your sink and run water through it, shaking your hand in the bowl to remove the excess starch. Pour out the murky water, and repeat until the water runs clear.
A rice cooker (with a removable bowl) is preferable for this one. Pour the washed rice in, followed by enough water to reach the first knuckle on your pointer finger when you’re just touching the top of the rice. Sprinkle enough salt in that the water tastes a little salty, and stir. Add the olive oil, and you’re set. Turn the rice cooker on for one hour, stirring very occasionally. Once it’s nearing done, add an extra 20 minutes to really get that tahdig going.
Once that timer goes off, you’re done! Turn off the cooker, grab your oven mitts and a flat dish. Place the dish upside down on top of the rice cooker (stay with me!) and pull the removable bowl out. You’ll flip the rice onto that dish, so be careful and go slow. It’s well worth it in the end – just check out that tahdig!
All that’s left is to cut up the tahdig and decide who gets first bite. Good luck!
