Potato Tahdig Food

POTATO TAHDIG

Steps:

• Stir saffron and 2 Tbsp. lukewarm water in a small bowl; set aside to bloom.
• Meanwhile, place rice in a strainer or fine-mesh sieve and rinse with lukewarm water, swishing around with your hands to get rid of excess starch, until water runs clear. Cook rice in a large pot of boiling generously salted water for 7 minutes. Check one grain; it should be soft on the edges but firm inside. You should be able to break it into two using your fingertips, but the grain should still be firm in the middle. If not, cook 1 minute longer and check again. Drain rice and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
• Wipe out pot. Pour 1/3 cup oil into pot and heat over medium. Add saffron mixture, tilting pot to make sure it covers the bottom.
• Arrange potato slices in an even layer in bottom of pot. Season with 2 tsp. salt. Return rice to pot on top of potatoes in a mound (so it's higher in the middle than the edges) without pressing or packing it down. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make 5 holes in rice, going all the way down to the potato layer, so steam can escape. Pour 1/2 cup water around outer edge of potatoes. Cover lid with a clean dish towel, tying the ends up over the handle so they don't catch fire, then cover pot with lid. Cook over medium-high heat until steaming, 7-10 minutes (check after 7 minutes; if you don't see steam, cover and continue to cook).
• Pour remaining 1/4 cup oil evenly over rice, cover pot, and let steam over low heat until rice and potatoes are cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Taste to make sure rice is fully cooked; if not, add 1/4 cup more water, then let steam another 10 minutes.
• Spoon rice onto a platter. Using a spatula, lift crispy potatoes and rice off bottom of pot (this is the tahdig) and arrange, browned side up, over rice.

TAHDIG WITH POTATO (IRANIAN)

Steps:

• Slice potato into 1/4" rounds.
• In a large pot, add two tablespoons canola oil, the saffron water, and sprinkle with salt. Slightly shake the pot to mix the liquid.
• Add the potatoes and sprinkle each with a little salt.
• Add your rice.
• Cook on high for 10 minutes.
• Lower the temperature to low, place a towel over the top of the pot, cover, and steam for one hour.

POLO BA TAHDIG (PERSIAN RICE WITH POTATO CRUST)

Steps:

• 1. Put sugar cube in a small mortar add the saffron threads to the top of it. Using the pestle, crush together into as fine a powder as possible. Place in a small cup. Add melted butter and boiling water. Set aside for 3 hours.
• 2. Soak washed rice in lukewarm water that generously covers it for 30 minutes. Drain
• 3. Put 10 cups water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and mix in. Scatter rice into the boiling water and bring to a boil again. Boil rapidly for 5 1/2 minutes. Drain rice immediately and leave in colander.
• 4. Put the butter in a nonstick pan and set over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons water plus 2 teaspoons of the saffron mix. Peel potato and cut into 1/8" slices.
• 5. Lay slices in an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Cut slices to fit to completely cover bottom if desired. A few blank spaces are fine.
• 6. When the butter is melted dump the rice on top of the potato slices. Cover and turn to medium-high. After 4 minutes, add the remainder of the saffron by dribbling over rice. Do this quickly
• 7. Drape a dish towel over the underside of the lid and then place back on the pan. (The towel will between the pan and the lid) Flip the towel ends on top of the lid so they do not burn. Turn heat to lowest heat possible and cook for an additional 25 minutes.
• 8. To serve, have a large warm serving plate ready. Remove cover and slide a knife along the inside of the pan to loosen rice. Put the serving plate on top o the pan of rice. Now, turn it over to invert rice on to the plate.
• 9. The "cake" will crumble a little, spreading out at the bottom, but this is as it should be. Serve immediately, cut into crust to serve.
• 10. Alternatively, empty just the rice rice onto the serving plate, scooping our gently with a spoon. Now remove the crust from the pan and with a butter knife or pair of kitchen scissors, cut into even wedges. You may arrange the wedges, crusty side up, around the rice or serve them on a separate plate.

PERSIAN RICE WITH POTATO TAHDIG

Steps:

• Rinse and drain rice 2 times.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rice and salt; cook for 6 minutes. Drain in a colander. Rinse rice and drain again.
• Put oil in the bottom of the pot and place potato slices in a single layer over top. Pour cooked rice on top of potato slices, cover, and cook over low heat until rice and potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Invert carefully onto a serving plate so sliced potatoes are on top of rice.