Persian Saffron Rice

Persian Saffron Rice

Today's post is a special rice dish- Persian crispy crusted rice dish infused with saffron. Butter and saffron adds richness to the rice. Saffron's unique delicate flavor and golden yellow color makes it dish even more inviting.The rice for this dish is only partially cooked just like in biryani and then it is steamed until it is cooked through. The rice develops a light crispy bottom crust (tahdeeg/ Tah dig) along with the potatoes.Decorate the rice with toasted pine nuts or pistachios or fried onions and serve this with any spicy side dish.

Ingredients
Rice-1 1/2 cup
saffron -  1/2 tsp
(I used 0.26 gram sachet)
Butter or ghee- 2tbs
( I used Ghee)
Cloves-3, Cardamon- 1
Potato- 1 (cut into slices)
Onion-1
Toasted pine nut- 2 tbs
(use any nut you like)

Slice onions and fry till crispy and golden brown. Toast pine nuts in low flame for about two minutes and keep aside.
Gently pound the saffron and soak in 3-4 tbs of warm water. Keep it aside till you get the rich color of saffron.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add salt, cloves and cardamon and the rice. Cook rice till it is 80% cooked. When you press the rice the center should remain under cooked.Drain and keep aside.
Take a cup of cooked rice and mix it with the saffron water . Heat ghee or butter in a deep heavy bottom pan. Place sliced potatoes and then gently Evenly spread the top with spatula and poke one or two hole in the rice to ensure the steam passes evenly through the layers the rice. Cover and cook in high for two minute and then reduce the flame to the lowest and steam this rice for about 30 minute on stove top. Gently invert it on to a plate just like you invert a cake. It will look like an upside down cake with the crispy potatoes showing on the top.Garnish with fried onions and toasted pine nuts and serve.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!