Directions: |
Directions:Wash the rice by placing it in a large container and covering it with water. Agitate gently with your hand, then pour off the water. Repeat 5 times. To soak the rice, cover with water, add 2 Tbsp salt, and allow to soak for 2-24 hours (soaking results in longer grains of rice). Drain in a fine mesh colander and set aside.
Clean barberries by removing the stems and any grit. Place the barberries in a fine mesh colander, and place the colander in a large container full of COLD water. Allow barberries to soak for 20 minutes. Any sand will settle to the bottom. Take the colander out of the container and run water over the barberries. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil or butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and pistachios, and stir fry for 20 seconds. Add the raisins and give it a stir, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, place 1 Tbsp oil or butter, 2 Tbsp water, 2 Tbsp sugar and the barberries ,and stir fry for 4 minutes over medium heat (beware, barberries burn easily! ). Set aside.
To remove the bitterness from the orange peel: drop the orange peel into a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Heat 2 Tbsp oil or butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and the orange peel, and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup sugar, a drop of saffron-orange blossom water, the cinnamon and the cardamom, and stir fry for 1 minute. Add 1 cup water, bring to a boil, and cook over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes until lightly caramelized. Drain, reserving the syrup, and set aside.
In a large non-stick pot, add 10 cups of water and 2 Tbsp salt, and bring to a boil. Pour washed and drained rice into the pot and add 1 Tbsp orange blossom water. Boil briskly for 6-10 minutes (depending on the type of basmati rice you are using). Bite a few grains of rice. If the rice feels soft and all of it has risen to the surface, it is ready. Drain the rice in a large fine mesh colander and rinse with 2 cups water.
To make tahdig: In a mixing bowl whisk together ½ cup oil or melted butter, ¼ cup water, and a few drops of saffron-orange blossom water, 3 spatulas of rice (about 2 cups), and spread the mixture over the bottom of the pot. Give the pot a shake to even out the base.
Take 1 spatula full of rice at a time and gently place it on top of the saffron rice mixture, gradually shaping the rice into a pyramid. This shape leaves room for the rice to expand and enlarge. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat.
Swirl ½ cup water, the remaining oil or butter, and the reserved syrup over the rice.
Wrap the lid of the pot with a clean dish towel and cover firmly to prevent the steam from escaping. Cook for 70 minutes over low heat.
Remove the pot from the heat. Allow to cool on a damp surface for 2 minutes without uncovering it. This helps free the tahdig from the bottom of the pot. Uncover and loosen the edges with a wooden spoon.
Gently take 1 spatula full of rice at a time, use a wooden spatula and don't disturb crust, placing it on a serving platter in alternating layers of carmelized carrot mixture, caramelized barberries, and the almond, pistachio and raisin mixture. Mound the rice in the shape of a cone.
Detach the tahdig from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spatula, place on a small platter, and serve on the side.
Keep warm until serving. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: To make orange slivers, take a large firm orange and use a peeler to peel thick layers of the skin together with some of the white pith. With a sharp knife, cut the peels into thin strips.
To make carrot strips, use large carrots. Peel and cut them into 3" lengths. Then cut each length vertically into slices, and finally cut each slice into strips.
You can replace barberries with semi-sweet cranberries, in which case you simply saute without adding any sugar.
To oven toast nuts: preheat oven to 350, place nuts on a baking sheet, and bake 8 minutes for almonds, 5 minutes for pistachios.
Jeweled rice is the queen of Persian dishes. It is made of orange peels, almonds, barberries and pistachios. As a wedding dish it represents gold, rubies, emeralds and pearls. This recipe is taken from renowned Persian chef Najmieh Batmanglif's cookbook New Food of Life.
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This recipe for Persian Jeweled Rice (Javaher Polo) is from