Read The New Persian Kitchen Online
Authors: Louisa Shafia
The New Persian Kitchen (21 page)
serves 41½ pounds firm, white-fleshed skinless fish fillet, such as Atlantic cod, Pacific halibut, or US-caught swordfish
2 yellow onions, diced
¼ cup refined coconut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 red or green serrano chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
Sea salt
About 2 cups tightly packed fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Wash the fish, dry thoroughly, and cut it into 1½-inch pieces.
In a large skillet, sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic, turmeric, tamarind, 1 of the chiles, and 1 teaspoon salt, and let the mixture bubble gently for a few minutes. Add the fish and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Stir often.
Fold in the cilantro and add salt to taste. Garnish with a few chile slices and serve the rest on the side.
Vegetarian OptionSubstitute firm tofu for the fish. Before cooking, drain the tofu and press it under a heavy weight for 1 hour, to press out as much water as possible.
For
Persians, the preparation of rice is an art form, and virtually every Persian meal comes with a perfect pillowy mound of pilaf. Rice makes a fluffy bed for the rich stews and kebabs that Iran is known for, but with the addition of meat, fruit, nuts, beans, and herbs, rice can be an entrée in itself. Rice arrived in Persia from the East, where India and China had already been cultivating it for thousands of years. In time, this versatile grain came to rival wheat bread as the main starch in the Iranian diet.
Persians, the preparation of rice is an art form, and virtually every Persian meal comes with a perfect pillowy mound of pilaf. Rice makes a fluffy bed for the rich stews and kebabs that Iran is known for, but with the addition of meat, fruit, nuts, beans, and herbs, rice can be an entrée in itself. Rice arrived in Persia from the East, where India and China had already been cultivating it for thousands of years. In time, this versatile grain came to rival wheat bread as the main starch in the Iranian diet.
In general, Persians favor long-grain rice. Here in the States, basmati rice imported from India is an excellent choice for making Persian-style rice dishes. Persians have time-tested ways of preparing their favorite grain, and the most elegant—and admittedly complex—way is to parboil the rice,
and then steam it
. This two-step process produces rice that’s lighter and fluffier than rice that’s cooked only once. Still, these recipes all work beautifully with rice that’s cooked according to standard methods. In this chapter, you’ll find instructions for both simple and more advanced techniques.
and then steam it
. This two-step process produces rice that’s lighter and fluffier than rice that’s cooked only once. Still, these recipes all work beautifully with rice that’s cooked according to standard methods. In this chapter, you’ll find instructions for both simple and more advanced techniques.
Any of these rice recipes can be made using a whole grain like
quinoa, millet, or barley
. In fact, some dishes in the following pages call for
whole grains instead of rice in order to illustrate just how well this substitution works.
quinoa, millet, or barley
. In fact, some dishes in the following pages call for
whole grains instead of rice in order to illustrate just how well this substitution works.
Jeweled Brown Basmati Rice and Quinoa
morassa polo
This dish gets its name from the gemlike red barberries and green pistachios that sparkle on its surface. It’s a regal dish that’s typically reserved for special occasions. My husband and I served jeweled rice at our wedding, and it was so well received that the wedding venue added it to their menu. Although there are quite a few ingredients, this is an easy dish to make. You simply sauté the dried fruit and nuts with oil and spices, and toss them with the cooked grains. If you’re substituting different grains for the ones used here, check to see if they need more or less cooking water than the recipe calls for, and adjust accordingly.
serves 6 to 81 cup brown basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
1½ cups quinoa, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
5 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Sea salt
4 cups water, boiling
2 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil, at room temperature
1 large yellow onion, minced
½ cup barberries, soaked in warm water for ½ hour and drained
1 cup minced dried apricots
1 tablespoon dried rose petals or dried whole rosebuds pulled apart and stems removed, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup pistachios, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
½ cup slivered blanched almonds, lightly toasted
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)
Drain the rice and quinoa and rinse under cold water. (Try making
tahdig
! Bring a large pot three-quarters full of salted water to a boil, and follow the instructions starting with
How to Make Tahdig
for making one of four styles of
tahdig
. Rejoin this recipe in the next to last paragraph, and mix the dried fruit, nuts, rose petals, and spices with the rice and quinoa just as if you’ve been following this recipe all along. Good luck!)
tahdig
! Bring a large pot three-quarters full of salted water to a boil, and follow the instructions starting with
How to Make Tahdig
for making one of four styles of
tahdig
. Rejoin this recipe in the next to last paragraph, and mix the dried fruit, nuts, rose petals, and spices with the rice and quinoa just as if you’ve been following this recipe all along. Good luck!)
Heat a medium stockpot over low heat and add the rice and quinoa, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and a pinch of salt. Sauté the grains, stirring often to prevent sticking for about 5 minutes until dry and fragrant. Add the boiling water and return to a boil; turn down the heat
to very low and cook, covered, for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the grains rest for 10 minutes, then toss in the butter and fluff with a fork.
to very low and cook, covered, for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the grains rest for 10 minutes, then toss in the butter and fluff with a fork.
While the grains cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the barberries, apricots, rose petals, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom. Cook for about 5 minutes, until heated through. Reserve half of the pistachios and almonds for garnish, and add the rest of the nuts to the skillet. Season with salt, and remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, toss the fruit and nuts with the grains and drizzle in the saffron. Season with salt. Garnish with the remaining nuts, a few rose petals, and the pomegranate seeds.
saffron ricechelo
Simple saffron rice is as close to perfection as food can get. It’s the classic accompaniment to kebabs, and the basic building block of the towering citadels of fruit-and-nut-studded rice popular at fancy Persian events. Follow this recipe for a basic rice side dish, or consult my guide to making
tahdig
to create a crunchy and delicious golden crust. As rice cooking times may vary depending on the variety, check the rice after 15 minutes. For a subtle flavor variation, try using unrefined coconut oil to give the rice a mild coconut aroma that’s evocative of India and Thailand. (
See photo
.)
tahdig
to create a crunchy and delicious golden crust. As rice cooking times may vary depending on the variety, check the rice after 15 minutes. For a subtle flavor variation, try using unrefined coconut oil to give the rice a mild coconut aroma that’s evocative of India and Thailand. (
See photo
.)
serves 6 to 82 cups white basmati rice
3 cups water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil, at room temperature
Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and rinse under cold water until it runs clear. (Try making
tahdig
! Bring a large pot three-quarters full of salted water to a boil, and follow the instructions in
How to Make Tahdig
for making one of four styles of
tahdig.
You’ll rejoin this recipe in the final paragraph. Good luck!)
tahdig
! Bring a large pot three-quarters full of salted water to a boil, and follow the instructions in
How to Make Tahdig
for making one of four styles of
tahdig.
You’ll rejoin this recipe in the final paragraph. Good luck!)
In a stockpot, combine the water and salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice, return to a boil, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes, then dot with the butter and fluff with a fork. The rice should be dry and fluffy. If there’s rice stuck to the bottom of the pot, scrape it out and eat it; it’s tasty!
Gently scoop all but about 1 cup of the rice onto a serving platter. Toss the reserved rice with the saffron water. Spoon the saffron rice over the white rice as a garnish, and serve.
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