SERVING SIZE:
4 (if everyone shares fairly)
TOOLS
1 deep pot with lid
1 bowl for cleaning rice
Mortar and pestel to grind saffron threads
Towel
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of basmati rice, pre-soaked and rinsed until clean
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed saffron threads
3 tbsp high heat oil, such as avocado oil
2 tbsp grass fed butter, ghee
INSTRUCTIONS
After cleaning and rinsing the rice until the water runs clear, place the rice back into a bowl and cover with cold water and 1 tbsp of salt. Let it soak for 1 hour
After the hour, to a deep pot add 8 cups of water and the remaining 3 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil
Drain the rice and add to the boiling water. Let it cook until the water begins to bubble again and check that the rice is al dente (soft on the outside, slight crunch to the center)
Drain the rice and rinse it very briefly with room temperature water. If the rice tastes too salty, rinse it once more. Set the rice aside in a sieve while you prepare the saffron
In a small bowl, stir the ground saffron and 3 tbsp of hot water. Continue stirring until the saffron has fully dissolved into the water. This is your liquid gold, don’t lose a drop of it!
In the same large pot (make sure it’s clean and dry), heat medium high, add the oil and half of the saffron water. Swirl the pot to coat the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pot. When this begins to sizzle, add enough rice to coat the bottom of the pot evenly, about 1.5 inches high. Press down gently with a spatula to compact the rice and be sure to press into the sides of the pot to help form a crust
Spoon the remaining rice over the top, forming a pyramid shape in the center. Use the handle of a spoon and poke a few deep holes into the mound, stopping just before hitting the bottom of the pot. This will help vent steam down into the rice. Cover the pot and cook for 30-35 minutes on medium low
Every 10 minutes, do the sizzle test. Lick your finger and quickly tap the bottom edge of the pot. If you hear a sizzle, your tahdig is ready! Turn the heat to low while you prepare the remainder of the saffron
Whisk together the melted butter/ghee with the rest of the saffron water. Remove the lid and be careful not to let the condensation drip back into the pot. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel securing at the top or wrap the lid with a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle the saffron mixture into the rice evenly and cover the lid for another 30 minutes on medium low. Rotate the pot every so often to even out the golden color
At the end of the 30 minutes, check that your rice is tender and fluffy and use a fork to gently lift the edge of the bottom layer to see if your tahdig is crunchy
Remove from the heat, remove the lid and place a large platter (larger than the pot circumference) over the top of the pot
Do this last step fast and confidently. Hold onto the platter and the pot together and in one swift move, flip it over so the pot is now on top. If you did it right, you’ll hear a whoosh sound telling you that your tahdig came off the pot. Slowly remove the pot and you’ll see the golden, crispy layer on top
Noosheh-jaan! (Farsi translates to: May it nourish your soul)