Samin cooked Iranian/Persian basmati rice to develop the crunchy bottom, the coveted "tahdig", on the cooking show Salt Fat Acid Heat. I love that stuff, so was happy to find her adaptation which is so easy. It uses Yogurt to help bind and brown the crunchy layer, and parboiling so you can finish cooking -- and develop the crust -- in a low skillet instead of deep pot. I've adjusted it a bit for our pans, over-sizing the crusty rice base a little. It makes enough for four, but we found the leftovers heated up OK, but were not quite as fragrant.
We mixed in some small cubes of cooked squash to the second Rice addition and it was a fine complement to the rice.
 |
| Crunchy rice! |
1/3 C Kosher Salt (depending on saltiness)
1/3 C Yogurt
3 Tbs Vegetable Oil
3 Tbs Butter
Rinse the Rice several times until the water runs clear; easiest to do this in a fine mesh sieve in a bowl.
Bring 4 Qt Water to boil with salt, it seems like too much Salt, but it doesn't cook long and most of the water is discarded. Boil the Rice 6-8 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet, add Oil and Butter, and melt; it'll turn frothy.
Remove 1 1/2 C Rice and mix with Yogurt. Add to skillet and flatten to cover the bottom: this will become the crust.
Add the rest of the Rice on top, mounding slightly to the center. (Poke 6 holes through the rice to the bottom of the skillet to allow steam to escape so the rice dries out.
Cook 20 minutes over medium heat, turning a quarter turn ever 5 minutes for even browning.
Check the edges to ensure they're browning, if not, add a bit more oil around the edges.
 |
| Edges starting to brown; we added some cubed squash |
Cook on low heat another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done, crunchy on the bottom.
Place a platter over the skillet and bravely invert: the rice should detach easily and form a beautiful display. Serve.
No comments:
Post a Comment