Iran: Tahdig [vegan]

This is the second post for Iran. Check Part 1 about ghormeh sabzi and Iranian cooking in general.

Tahdig (literally bottom + pot) is a rice dish where you intentionally create a crispy surface from ‘burnt’ rice ​[1]–[3]​, potato ​[3], [4]​ or bread in the bottom of a pan. You can make many different styles depending on your preference and, as I understand it, you can make most Persian rice dishes ‘tahdig style’. Here, I made a saffron version with barberries, pistachios and almonds, borrowing inspiration from zereshk polo (barberry rice) ​[2], [5]​.

Interesting ingredient

Barberries are small red berries used in Persian cuisine in their dried form. While dried berries tend to be quite sweet due to the concentrating effects of dehydration, barberries are a bit sour and add little pops of contrast when used in this dish. They taste quite similar to fresh cranberries or lingonberries though dried cranberries tend to be quite sweet whereas barberries are not. You can try replacing them with currants or raisins which are also often used in this style. Writing this post, I looked up the native version (i.e. the non-dried state) and the plant looks very familiar. Turns out it grow over most of the world, including Sweden ​[6]​ and Canada ​[7]​.

Conclusion

While we have made tahdig in the past, this particular one did not turn out great. Next time, I will add a small amount of non-dairy yogurt to the rice to create a creamier dish.

Print

Tahdig

Tahdig is a Persian rice dish with an intentionally 'burnt', crusty bottom. This version is flavoured with saffron , barberries, pistachios and almonds.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Persian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Henrik Persson | veganphysicist.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 1 pinch saffron strands
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup barberries, dried
• 1+1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Soak barberries in warm water.
• Boil the rice in plenty of lightly salted water, similar to pasta, for 5 min. Should be done on the outside but still have a solid core.

  Strain the rice.
• Toast almonds and pistachios.
• Strain barberries and fry in a little oil. Will puff up.
• Once strained, place the rice in a bowl and mix in 1 tbsp olive oil and saffron.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot. Press down ~1 cm rice on the bottom.
• Mix in almonds, pistachios and barberries in the rice bowl.

  Optional: preserve some for garnish.
• Place rest of rice mix in pot. Press down.
• use a chopstick or similar to poke holes in the rice.
• Wrap the pot lid in a towel and place on top.
• Cook on low to medium heat for 20-30 minutes.
• Check that the rice is cooked and that it has stated to burn a bit on the bottom. See note below.
• Once done, carefully run a heat resistant spatuala around the edge of the rice to dislodge the bottom. Place a serving tray over the pot and carefully but quickly and dterminedly flip the pot upside down.

  The dish should fall out of the pot easily.

Notes

To tell if the rice is cooked, you can use a heat reistant spatula and run it around the edge to try and feel if the rice on the bottom is staing to get burnt. You might also be able to smell the burnt bottom.