Tahdiq (Crisped Persian Rice)
Tahdiq is the golden, crackling crust that forms at the bottom of a pot of Persian rice, and it is often the part people fight over. Here the rice is parboiled, then steamed over a layer of sliced potatoes that fry in oil and turn crisp. Heat controls the result: cook it hotter for a crunchier base. Bread or plain rice can replace the potatoes.
Instructions
Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about ½ inch thick. Set them aside while you cook the rice.
Rinse the rice and drain it. Bring 4 to 5 cups of water to a boil in a 3-quart pot, salting it if you like, then add the rice and boil it for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then. The rice should be only about half cooked at this point, so check that it still has a firm center.
Drain the rice into a colander. Pour ¼ cup of the oil into the empty pot and lay the potato slices across the bottom, close together in one layer. Sprinkle on a little salt if you want it.
Spoon the half-cooked rice loosely over the potatoes. Set the pot over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the rice begins to steam.
Turn the heat down and pour 5 tablespoons of water and 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil over the rice. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about half an hour, until the rice is cooked through and tender. A higher heat gives a crunchier crust on the bottom.
Scoop the rice out onto a serving dish, then lift the crisp layer from the bottom with a soft spatula. You can also try turning the whole pot out so the rice comes away as one cake.
Make it personal.
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