Recipe from Naz Deravian
Adapted by Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 1½ hours, plus 1 hour soaking
- Rating
- 4(212)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The star of this herb-flecked Persian-style rice recipe, by the actor and food blogger Naz Deravian, is the lavash tahdig — a crisp, buttery layer of toasted lavash flatbread at the bottom of the pot. Break it into pieces and use it to garnish the platter of rice, making sure everyone gets a piece. The rice itself is highly fragrant, scented with dill, mint and whatever other soft herbs you can get, along with heady saffron. You need to find thin flatbread to make this; the kind used for wraps is a good bet. It will take some time to clean all the herbs, but don't worry about taking off each leaf. Using tender stems and sprigs is perfectly fine. —Melissa Clark
Featured in: Persian Cuisine Is Fragrant and Rich With Symbolism
Learn: How to Make Rice
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Ingredients
Yield:8 servings
- 3cups white basmati rice
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 10cups packed mixed soft herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, tarragon and ramp greens
- 1½cups packed mint leaves
- ½cup packed basil leaves (preferably lemon basil)
- 5stems of fresh fenugreek, leaves only (optional)
- 8tablespoons butter or ghee, more if needed
- 1teaspoon grapeseed or olive oil
- ¼teaspoon saffron, plus a small pinch, ground with a mortar and pestle
- 2 to 4pieces thin lavash or other flatbread
- 2tablespoons dried dill
- 2stalks spring garlic (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
433 calories; 13 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 72 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 558 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a large strainer, rinse the rice until the water runs clear, mixing it with your fingers as you rinse. Put the rinsed rice in a bowl and add 2 cups cold water and a handful of kosher salt (about ¼ cup). Let sit for at least 1 hour.
Step
2
In the bowl of a food processor, combine herbs. Process, in batches if necessary, until coarsely chopped. (You should have about 6 cups; set aside ¾ cup of the chopped herbs to use as garnish.)
Step
3
In a large pot bring 12 cups water and another handful salt (about ¼ cup) to a boil. Drain rice and add to pot. Stir once very gently; return to a boil and cook until the grains are about halfway cooked (tender but with a firm spine), 3 to 5 minutes, skimming off any foam. Drain rice, give it a quick rinse with cold water, and spread it out on a platter or rimmed baking sheet until needed.
Step
4
In a medium bowl or pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter; reserve.
Step
5
In a large nonstick skillet with a cover, or shallow pot over low heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter and add grapeseed oil. Swirl the pan to make sure the melted butter covers the entire surface and sides of your skillet. If not, add more butter.
Step
6
Add a small pinch saffron and large pinch salt to the butter and swirl around. Place lavash so it covers the bottom and halfway up the sides of the skillet in a single layer, overlapping only slightly where needed. (You can tear the lavash into pieces.)
Step
7
Sprinkle a third of the rice over the lavash. If rice is clumpy, break apart with your fingers. Top with half of the chopped herbs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon dried dill over fresh herbs. Repeat with another layer each of rice, herbs and dried dill, mounding layers in a pyramid-like shape. Top with final third of rice, and place spring garlic, if using, around the edges of the skillet.
Step
8
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke several holes in the rice to allow the steam to escape. Pour reserved melted butter and 2 tablespoons hot water over rice. Cover and raise heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes, or until steam is visible around the edges of the lid. (Don't go anywhere! The tahdig can burn very quickly.)
Step
9
Reduce heat to medium-low. Lift lid and cover skillet with a clean kitchen towel. Return lid to skillet and cook for 10 minutes.
Step
10
Reduce heat to very low. If you have a heat diffuser, place it under the skillet and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until rice is done and tahdig is golden brown. If you don’t have a diffuser, watch the pot carefully so the tahdig doesn’t burn. If you smell burning, turn the heat off and let the pot sit off the heat until rice is done.
Step
11
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ¼ teaspoon saffron and 1 tablespoon hot water. When rice is done, set aside spring garlic; reserve. Gently transfer 1 cup rice to the saffron mixture, toss to color the rice yellow, and set aside.
Step
12
Taste rice for doneness. If needed, gently stir in more salt.
Step
13
To serve, spoon half of the green herb rice onto a serving platter, taking care to not disturb the tahdig at the bottom of the skillet. Add half the reserved fresh herbs. Repeat the layers of rice and herbs. Top with saffron rice and garnish with spring garlic. Lift out the tahdig, break into pieces and serve on the side.
Ratings
4
out of 5
212
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Vickie
You can reserve around 1 1/2 cup of the rice, mix it with 2-3 tablespoons of yoghurt, 2 t melted butter and some of the saffron butter. Coat the bottom of the pan with 1-2 Tablespoons butter and lightly pack the rice over the bottom and partially up the sides (1"). Continue recipe as above and you will have a crunchy rice tahdig.
Leslie
Add potato slices instead of the lavash. Crunchy potatoes - very yummy and gluten free as well.
Shala
If you don't want to burn the bottom of the plan (Tadig) make sure you pour enough oil so that whatever items you put at the bottom gets crispy fried.
ferguson
I made this in a Le Creuset Dutch oven. I burned the bottom but the sides were yummy. Next time I would make the initial 10 minutes at a lower temperature.
Anna
I bet it's fresh herbs
Rachel
For the herbs I buy a dried vegetable mixture by Sadaf called Sabzi Gormeh and then I add fresh dill. The dried mixture needs to be soaked in water before using it. I also use turmeric instead of or in addition to saffron.
lynn
the crust on the bottom is best made by adding oil to the pot, after the rice has cooked, leaving it to steam over very low heat for quite a while. for a true Persian, there is no added ingredient of any sort. this recipe may be tasty, but it's hardly authentic
Jack D
If you can find a Persian market you can get the chopped herbs frozen. (Taste is just about the same. You trade price for time.) For three cups rice, two 10 oz boxes is about right. You can also use up to half baby spinach in the herb mix. And dried fenugreek (shambalileh) is fine. Traditionally served at (Persian) New Year with fish. (Red snapper is a reasonable substitute Persian White Fish.)
Yvonne Callaway
I've been resistant to making tahdig--it sounded so involved, fraught with potential disaster. Think this recipe more complicated than needs to be, e.g. steps 4 & 5. Easier -- Melt 8 T butter in skillet, put aside half, continue.Used potato instead of lavash, and brown Jasmin instead of white basmati as that's what I had. Adjusted steaming time. VERY tasty.
Felicia Elena
I might have been too cautious with the heat because the tahdig wasn't as crispy and unified as it could have been. But that was due it part to juggling a grill (lamb) and a broiler (cauliflower) at the same time. I also halved the recipe to a pandemic appropriate quantity (four people instead of eight) and that didn't affect the process or the timing. The herbs soften and mellow with the rice so nicely. It tasted and presented like a beloved royal ancestor of my family's arroz verde.
cf
Good. Just too many herbs. Really good with nan from Mid East market (better than pita). A little greasy.
David
If step 11 starts with 'Menawhile', I get concerned with how long it takes to make this dish.
Casey
the meanwhile just means that while the rice is cooking, start soaking / steeping the saffron to flavor and color the cooked rice. The longer it sits, the stronger the power to color (dye if you will) and the flavor of the saffron liquid will increase.The time to prepare the rice is about 30 minutes, not including the time to soak the rice.
lynn
the crust on the bottom is best made by adding oil to the pot, after the rice has cooked, leaving it to steam over very low heat for quite a while. for a true Persian, there is no added ingredient of any sort. this recipe may be tasty, but it's hardly authentic
Rachel
For the herbs I buy a dried vegetable mixture by Sadaf called Sabzi Gormeh and then I add fresh dill. The dried mixture needs to be soaked in water before using it. I also use turmeric instead of or in addition to saffron.
Gail
I would love to make this for my Iranian sister-in-law when she visits. But, like Nima, I question if 10 plus cups of herbs is accurate (also, dry or fresh herbs?). Why has her question not been answered in 3 months?
Anna
I bet it's fresh herbs
dihard1946
I assume "soft herbs" means fresh herbs as opposed to dry or dried herbs.
shahrzad
fresh herbs is what she means
Shala
If you don't want to burn the bottom of the plan (Tadig) make sure you pour enough oil so that whatever items you put at the bottom gets crispy fried.
ferguson
I made this in a Le Creuset Dutch oven. I burned the bottom but the sides were yummy. Next time I would make the initial 10 minutes at a lower temperature.
Nima
"10 cups [of...] herbs!" Is this a typo? Or, was this part of the recipe for KUKU SABZI? There are regional variations to be sure, but it seems this is an error? At the very least, I'd suggest to use much less than 10 cups, and then if you like the combination, increase it to taste. If this is an error, I hope it will be corrected. If not, I'd say one needs to approach this part of this recipe with caution! A wonderful article, a bit too "Persian" not enough Iranian
Kasia Pilat
Hi Nima, thanks for writing. I checked in with Melissa, and she says the measurement for the herbs is correct. It's a ton but that's how Naz does it. Hope this helps, and happy cooking!
Leslie
Add potato slices instead of the lavash. Crunchy potatoes - very yummy and gluten free as well.
Susanne
How is this gluten free if it uses flatbread?
Vickie
You can reserve around 1 1/2 cup of the rice, mix it with 2-3 tablespoons of yoghurt, 2 t melted butter and some of the saffron butter. Coat the bottom of the pan with 1-2 Tablespoons butter and lightly pack the rice over the bottom and partially up the sides (1"). Continue recipe as above and you will have a crunchy rice tahdig.
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