Tahdig is a Persian rice dish consisting of fluffy rice with a crisped, brown bottom. It’s delicious and simple, but can be a little intimidating to cook for the first time, as it requires cooking rice past the point you would typically, which can lead to burning and sticking if done wrong. But don’t worry, this simple tahdig recipe will help you make at-home tahdig with (relative) ease. Here is how to make it.
Ingredients
- Basmati rice
- Salt
- Water
- Low-fat plain yogurt
- Vegetable oil
- Butter
- Optional saffron
Directions
Rinse your basmati rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Agitate the rice with your hands while rinsing. You may need to rinse and drain a few times.
Bring water to a rolling boil and add rice and a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil and stir, maintaining a continuous boil until the rice is par-cooked, about 10 minutes.
Rinse the par-cooked rice in cold water. Mix yogurt with a pinch of saffron (optional) and a cup of par-cooked rice. Heat up vegetable oil in a nonstick pot, adding in the yogurt/rice mixture and topping with the rest of the par-cooked rice.
Cook with the pot lid wrapped in a thin kitchen towel over low heat until the rice gets golden and crispy, between 30-50 minutes. Flip it over onto a serving dish, crispy-side up, and serve!
