Rice in All It's Yumminess - Part 1

White Rice - Iranian Style (Chelo Safeed) (Serves 3-6)

Ingredients:

Rice

1. 3 cups of white long grain rice.

2. 4 table spoons of cooking oil.

3. 2 medium potatoes cut into rounds, washed and drained.

4. 120 ml or 4 oz of water.

5. salt as per taste.

Directions:

I usually soak the rice for at least half an hour (if it's new rice) or for 1 hour (if it's old rice) in warm water and some salt before cooking.

Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water, add salt and a bit of oil and bring to a boil.

Add the rice and let it cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally to let the oil coat the grains, until it starts boiling. Check to see if the rice grains have softened. When the rice is a little more than half-cooked, take it out and drain it. Run tap water over it and let it drain.

Pour the oil in the pot, lay the potatoes in the bottom of the pot, add a bit of salt, then add the half-cooked rice loosely over it. Add 120 ml of water to it and with a skewer make a few holes to let the rice cook with the steam of the water passing through it. Close the pot with a lid and add a little water on top and close the lid. Let it cook for about 2 minutes on high heat.

When the rice starts to steam, put the heat on to medium and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Finally put the rice on low heat and with a spoon add oil to the top of the rice and cover with the lid and let it cook for another 10 minutes. The rice is now ready to eat.

Tips:

1. When you are serving the rice, decorate it with the fried potatoes which have become a golden brown color by this time.

2. Take some saffron in a heat-resistant glass and add some hot water to it. Let it stand in the rice while it is cooking. The heat brings out the beautiful aroma of saffron. After the rice has cooked, put this saffron in a bowl and add some of the cooked rice to it and mix it to give the rice a beautiful golden yellow color. Decorate the rest of the rice with this saffron mix. This is traditional persian or iranian rice.

3. Instead of potatoes, you can use pita bread. If you use nothing, the rice will form a thick crisp layer which is called "Tah Deegh" in persian.

Enjoy!

Rice in All It's Yumminess - Part 1

Related : calphalon unison nonstick 10 piece cookware set calphalon unison nonstick 12 omelette pan cuisinart chefs classic stainless 14 inch stir fry