Tahdig has been on my list to make for while. And I’m happy to report it is easier to make than I thought! And if you ever wanted an impressive and unique dish for a special dinner, this Persian style rice with golden crust will not disappoint. I adapted and simplified a recipe from Eden Grinspahn’s cookbook Eating Out Loud, and once you try this easy Persian rice recipe you will come back for more!
What is tahdig?
Tahdig, pronounced tah-deeg, literally means “bottom of the pot” in Persian/Farsi. And it refers to a beautiful, pan-fried Persian rice that is fluffy and buttery on the inside with a perfectly golden crust, which is the layer at the bottom of the pot. It’s beautifully laced with saffron and often scented with orange zest like in today’s recipe. In her new book Eating Out Loud (affiliate link), Eden describes making tahdig this way: You’re basically building a rice “cake” with layers of rice, yogurt, and butter. It gets cooked in a tightly covered pan, where the steam cooks the rice while the outside crisps. Then it’s turned upside down out of the pan on a platter, where–if you’ve done your job right–the crispy outside bits hold the moist inside like a mold. Tip: Don’t be a hero, use a nonstick pot. Makes all the difference!
What kind of rice to use for Persian rice?
The kind of rice used is important. My Iranian friends only use Basmati rice (affiliate) for all their Persian rice dishes, and it’s what is used in this recipe. Two steps to prepare the rice for this tahdig recipe:
Wash the basmati rice very well under cold running water until the water runs clear. Some folks even soak it for a bit, but that is not required today. Par-boil the rice. You’ll boil the rice with plenty of water and cook to al dante for 5 minutes or so before you assemble and make the tahdig.
The crust
The crust is where it’s at! It’s what makes this Persian rice recipe extra special. What makes the crust? There are different tahdig variations when it comes to acheiving that perfectly crispy, golden crust. Some use a layer of flat lavash bread at the bottom of the pot, while other recipes may use a layer of thinly sliced potatoes. But it’s the third method I wanted to try… In this recipe, the curst is made of a mixture of rice, whole milk yogurt, and saffron. The extra fat from just two tablespoons of whole milk yogurt really helps the bottom layer of rice crisp up nicely, while the above layer of rice gets steamed to fluffy perfection.
How to make tahdig: step-by-step
(print-friendly recipe with ingredient list below)
Soak the saffron. 1 teaspoon of saffron goes in 1 cup of super warm water (but not hot). Leave it be for at least 10 minutes. It’s important to give the saffron enough time in the water to bloom and release it’s beautiful color, so that’s why I start with this step. Wash the rice and boil the rice. Like I mentioned earlier, you’ll want to wash 2 cups basmati rice so well until the water runs clean. Then combine the rice with 8 cups of water and a good pinch of salt (the original recipe calls for 2 tablespoons as this is your only shot to season the rice itself, but I used 1 tablespoon). Boil for about 5 to 6 minutes, then drain well. Prepare the rice, yogurt, saffron mixture. Take 1 cup of the rice and mix it super well with 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil (or another neutral-tasting oil) and 2 tablespoons of the saffron water.
Assemble the tahdig in a nonstick pot. Spread the rice-yogurt mixture in bottom of the pot (this is what makes the crust). Use a 10-inch lidded nonstick pot here. Add 1 cup of the remaining rice on top, then 2 tablespoons of dried cherries, a little orange zest, and a pinch of cinnamon. Continue layering in this way until you have used up the rice (keep some of the dried cherries for garnish later). Dot the top layer o rice with the butter (the original recipe called for 8 tablespoons of butter, cubed, but for us 4 to 5 tablespoons was sufficient). Pour the rest of the saffron water on top.
Cook the tahdig. To really trap the steam, do as my Persian friends do, wrap the lid of the pot in a thin kitchen towel. Use a rubber band to secure the towel around the handle (a little safety measure). Cover the pot and cook over low heat, 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice around the edges is golden and crispy (mine took more like 50 minutes for the bottom layer to fully crisp up and fully develop the golden color you see. I also ended up raising the heat a little bit to medium-low for a bit). Keep an eye and peek under the lid to make sure the bottom layer crisps nicely but does not burn (this is really all the TLC you need to do and it makes a difference). Flip the cooked tahdig over and serve. Remove the lid from the cooking pot and invert a large serving platter over the pot and carefully flip the pot over (the bottom crispy layer will now be on top). Although the nonstick pot helps a ton, don’t worry if some of the rice sticks to the bottom, just help it with a wooden spoon and run with it! Garnish with dried cherries and pistachios. Serve!
Serve. Remove the lid, invert a large serving plate over the pot, and carefully flip them over together. No worries if it sticks, just scrape it out and run with it! Sprinkle the tahdig with the reserved dried cherries and pistachios and serve right away.
What to serve with tahdig?
This crispy saffron rice can elevate any number of entrees. Here are some ideas for what to serve along:
Hearty stews. I don’t have any Persian stew recipes yet, but I can recommend this Moroccan lamb stew; vegetable tagine; or even roasted cauliflower and chickpea stew Saucy fish stew like this fish shakshuka. Or fried fish like pan seared trout. Roasts etc. like Spatchcock chicken; baked chicken drumsticks; boneless leg of lamb; lamb shanks Grilled Meats. Beef Kabobs; Kofta; Chicken Kabobs; Grilled Whole Chicken; or Lemon Chicken are all great options.
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