Tachin: Persian Rice Dish

This recipe from Iran combines ordinary ingredients with an extraordinary spice to deliver a delicious meal with exotic flair.

Looking to add something new to the weekly rotation of dinners? Need an alternative to meat and potatoes? This Persian dish promises to satisfy the taste buds with its interesting blend of flavor and texture.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice (dry)
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup yogurt
• 1½ tsp saffron (Persian not Spanish)
• 4 pieces chicken breast (fresh or defrosted)
• A few dashes salt and pepper
• 4-5 tbsp vegetable or olive oil (just enough to thinly coat bottom of baking dish)
• ¼ cup salted butter thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Crush saffron with mortar and pestle so that the spice is ground to a fine consistency.
2. Cook rice so that it’s not quite half cooked. This procedure is a delicate one. Fill large pot almost ¾ full with water. Add a few dashes of salt to the water.
3. Add rice and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat a little but make sure rice continues to boil vigorously. Stir occasionally to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. This stage of cooking barely takes a couple of minutes and should be closely monitored. It is best to stay next to the stove during this entire process.
4. Keep checking the rice by removing a grain to see if it is just past the stage of being hard throughout. Half cooked means that the hard center has barely changed from its raw state but that the grain is still far away from being the fluffy texture of fully cooked rice.
5. Drain the rice.
6. Beat eggs in mixing bowl. Stir in yogurt, saffron, salt and pepper. Remember salt and pepper can always be added after the dish is cooked so do not over season.
7. Add liquid mixture to rice and stir in gently.
8. Coat the bottom of a four quart baking dish with oil. Distribute pats of butter evenly over oil.
9. Place half of the total mixture in baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400° F.
10. Remove from oven and lay pieces of chicken on top of the partially cooked mixture. Cover with remaining rice mixture. Cook 25 minutes at 400° F.
11. Reduce heat to 250° F and cook for 20 minutes.

This scrumptious meal serves six and tastes wonderful when accompanied with pickled garlic or torshi (a pickled condiment found in any Persian market). Add salt to taste and enjoy.

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds