INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups (390g) basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 3 tablespoons (total) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons neutral-tasting vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup (60ml) plain yogurt, (not nonfat)
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash the rice until the water is almost clear. It'll take about 5 to 7 times of rinsing and draining to get the rice to that point.
Parboil the rice: Bring a pot of water (about 4 quarts/liters) to a boil with 2 tablespoons of salt in it. When it comes to a boil, add the drained rice and cook until the rice is just slightly softened and a bit tender, about 10 minutes.
Prepare the saffron: Add 2 tablespoons of hot milk to the saffron and let the saffron infuse in the water for 15 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, vegetable oil, and 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt.
As soon as the rice is cooked, drain the rice in a colander or strainer and rinse under cold water. Set the rice aside to drain well.
Make the rice and Tahdig: Melt the butter in a 10-inch (25cm) non-stick skillet. Spoon 1 tablespoon of that melted butter into the saffron yogurt mixture and swirl or spread the rest of the butter so it's in an even layer in the pan.
Mix 2 cups (250g) of the cooked rice into the saffron yogurt mixture then add it to the skillet in a relatively even layer in the skillet, but don't pack it down.
Spread the rest of the cooled rice over the saffron rice in the skillet in an even layer. Use the handle of a wooden spoon, held vertically, to make 6 indentations in the rice, evenly spaced apart, which will help the steam escape from the bottom layer so it crisps up.
Turn the heat to medium-high and cook for 8 minutes. Then turn the heat down to just above the lowest setting and continue to cook, turning the pan a quarter turn on the burner, every 10 minutes, until the Tahdig is ready, which will take about 45 minutes on a gas burner.
When ready, remove the lid and place a serving platter upside down over the top of the skillet. Firmly grasp both the skillet and the platter and flip both simultaneously over. Lift off the skillet and serve.
6 окт 2024