Best 2 Tadig Persian Rice Recipes

TRADITIONAL PERSIAN BASMATI RICE WITH TADIG

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Make sure the pot is a heavy bottom pot.).
• Add 3-4 tablespoons of salt to the water.
• Scoop out the desired amount of rice into a bowl (whatever amount you want, just remember 1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked).
• Pour water over it to rinse it and then pour the water off.
• Repeat this until the water runs clear.
• Add the rice to the boiling water.
• Boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
• Bring pot to the sink and turn the cold water on to make the starchy water overflow.
• Drain into a colander.
• Put the pot back onto the stove at medium to medium high heat (this may vary depending on your stove) and add oil (enough to just cover the bottom).
• In a small bowl, melt butter (about 1 tablespoon of butter per cup of dry rice) with a pinch saffron in it (if you have a mortar and pestel, grind the saffron first, otherwise, don't worry about it).
• Sprinkle the rice with a spoon into a mound in the pan on the stove.
• Poke 3-4 holes into the top and pour the butter down the holes.
• Take a scoop of the rice from the mound and stir in the bowl used to melt the butter (just to get the last of the saffron butter out).
• Put the rice back into the pot.
• Place about 3 layers of paper towels to cover the top of the pan and then place the lid tightly over the pan.
• Cook at the medium-medium high heat for 8 minutes.
• Turn the stove down to the lowest temperature it will go and steam for 35 more minutes.
• To serve, scoop the rice out from the top of the pan being careful not to brake the crust on the bottom.
• Once all the rice is out except for the crust (tadig), take another plate, big enough to cover the opening of the pan and flip the crust out onto the pan. It should be golden brown and beautiful! If it is black, the temperature of your stove was too high and the entire pot of rice may taste burnt.
• Once you get the hang of this you can try using sliced rounds of potato or pita bread on the bottom of the pan before you sprinkle in the boiled rice (both of these options are very yummy!).

TADIG (PERSIAN RICE)

Steps:

• Rinse rice until water runs clear. Add rice, water, yogurt, spices and salt into rice cooker pot, mix well. Turn on rice cooker and let it work it's magic.
• Once rice cooker turns off. Leave lid on rice for about 10 minutes to complete steaming.
• Now onto making the Tadig. Heat 3 tablespoon oil on medium-high in a 12" cast iron pan or heavy bottomed pan until hot but not smoking. Add cooked rice to pan and toss rice gently to coat with oil. Please try to not break up the grains of rice. Make sure the whole bottom of pan is covered with rice and press down a little bit to make sure the rice is densely covering the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low or medium depending on the heat of your burner. Use the handle of wooden spoon to make 4 holes all the way to the bottom of the pan in the rice. Pour the remaining olive oil into each of the hole and tilt pan to spread oil throughout the bottom of the pan. Put a lid on pan leaving about a 1 inch gap to allow steam to escape.
• Leave on burner about 15 minutes to brown and crisp up the bottom layer of rice. That's why the lid cannot be closed tight.
• Once the bottom layer is done to your liking (I like it brown like the color of the outside of a chestnut). Flip the pan of rice onto a large platter with the bottom crust on top. Serve.
• It may take a couple of tries to figure out your pan, burner combination to make the Tadig to your liking.