Persian cooking: recipes · Rice (polo)

Chelow with tahdig چلو و ته‌دیگ

Fluffy, fragrant saffron rice with the crispy crust from the bottom of the pot that everyone at the table fights over.

⏱ 90 min · vegetarian

Ingredients

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  • 600 g basmati rice
  • 4½ tbsp salt
  • 6 tbsp oil
  • 60 g butter
  • 1½ pinch saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water

Method

  1. Wash the rice several times until the water runs clear, then soak in cold water with 1 tbsp salt for at least 1 hour.
  2. Bring a large pot of water with 2 tbsp salt to the boil. Drain the rice, add it to the boiling water and cook for 6–8 minutes until the grains are soft outside but still firm inside. Drain and rinse briefly with lukewarm water.
  3. Heat the oil and 2 tbsp saffron water in the pot. Cover the bottom with a thin layer of rice and press it down: this becomes the tahdig.
  4. Heap the remaining rice loosely on top in a pyramid and poke a few holes down to the bottom with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  5. Dot with butter, wrap the lid in a tea towel and put it on. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat, then steam 45–50 minutes over the lowest heat.
  6. Mix some rice with the remaining saffron water and spread it on top. Briefly stand the pot in cold water, then turn it out onto a platter or lift out the tahdig in pieces.