The Ultimate Guide to Perfect, Fluffy, Steamy... Persian Rice

Written by Caitlin Murphy | Mar 1, 2020 7:33:47 PM

My mother has never allowed pre-packaged minute rice in our house. Nor could she ever want to. Nor would she ever want to. Nor should she ever want to.

 

To say it goes against every fiber in her body may sound extreme, but it's true. As someone who grew up in Iran, Persian rice was a staple at nearly ever meal -- literally and figuratively the foundation of practically every dish.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of trying Persian rice, I'll do my best to explain it to you in all of its buttery, saffron-y (is that a word?) glory.

The basmati rice is boiled, drained and steamed, rather than using an absorption technique, so you're left with lovely individual pieces of fluffed grains rather than a sticky, coagulated mass. The step of steaming the rice really allows for your final product to be as light as possible and creates the most mouth watering crispy bottom layer. This layer is called "tahdig" (TA-deeg), which translates to "bottom of the pot." This was (and still is) what my siblings and I always fight over having every time mom makes a big pot of rice. Tahdig can be made with anything from a tortilla to potato slices, to even just the rice itself. So long as there is oil in the bottom, the heat being transferred during the steaming process will crisp up whatever starch you've chosen as your base, and let me make something very clear; it is life changing. Finally, there's the option of topping your rice with a lovely layer of saffron rice to bring a pop of color and authentic floral notes to your tastebuds.

 

 

Persian rice may seem daunting to make at first, but I'm here to help. I've grown up with such a deep love for this style of cooking rice, and over many years have picked up tips and tricks from my grandmother, mom, and aunts, and have thus curated for you the Ultimate Guide to fluffy; not clumpy, steamy; not mushy, Persian rice...and trust me, you'll never go back to that microwave stuff ever again.

I like to describe making this rice like making a pot of pasta, and if you're anything like me, then your college years were a time when you almost exclusively survived on pasta for many, many dinners. It also means your half way to being a Persian-rice-cooking master. Really.

 

The only main differences are that you must wash the rice thoroughly, I'm talking wash it until the water runs almost completely clear, soak it before boiling, and then steam it after boiling it to a perfect (and here's where the pasta comparison comes in) "al dente." You know when it's juuuuust about done all the way through but still has a little bite in the center? That's it!

 

Many people tend to cook their rice such that the grains completely absorb the cooking liquid and then you're left with the task of desperately trying to fluff up the grains with a fork only to be left with a clumpy, mushy mess. Use this method and you'll never have to deal with such a tragedy ever again. Let's get into it.

Ingredients:

Cooking the rice

  • 5 cups basmati rice, rinsed (at least five times) and soaked (at least 30 minutes)
  • 12 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons salt

Steaming the rice and making tahdig

  • 1/4-inch vegetable oil poured into the bottom of the saucepan
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • flour tortilla or 1/4 inch sliced potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric or powdered saffron (optional, for a more authentic flavor)

Preparation

To Cook the Rice

  1. Fill a large nonstick saucepan (at least 6 quarts) with 12 cups water; add salt. Cover and bring to a brisk boil over high heat.
  2. Add the rice and continue cooking over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally.
  3. After 3-5 minutes, use a slotted spoon to scoop some grains from the water. Break one grain in half to make sure it is "al dente." Turn off the heat and pour rice into the colander to drain; set aside.

Steaming and Tahdig

  1. Place saucepan back onto the stovetop over medium heat. Add 1/4-inch vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons water.
  2. Add the drained rice and shape it into a pyramid. Poke 5-10 holes with the end of your spoon and pour over melted butter. Cover the pot with a teacloth or paper towel and the lid and cook for 5-7 minutes until rice begins to steam. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. The ends of the towel will extend slightly and absorb the moisture.
  3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and tilt the lid until ready to serve.
  4. With a wide spoon, scoop the rice from the pot, making sure not to disturb the tahdig that formed on the bottom of the pot. Serve the rice on a flat serving platter, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Flip the pot over to pop the tahdig out, or, if you are feeling extra risky you can hold the platter to the pot and flip it all over in one go. May the force be with you.

Optional Garnish: Saffron Rice

  1. To make saffron water, mix together 1 teaspoon crushed saffron threads and 1/4 cup hot water. Steep for a few minutes, until the water becomes yellow.
  2. Mix saffron water with steamed white rice. Top mounded rice or make designs as you please.