Polow - Persian Rice

پلو Polow is a staple of Persian cuisine. There are different kinds of rice and many different ways of preparing a rice dish. The best kind of rice is the black-tail rice (dom-siah) which is very similar to the Indian aromatic basmati rice. The best method for cooking rice is first parboiling and then steaming the rice until it is tender and fluffy.

Polow Zaferani - Persian Saffron Rice

Ingredients:
Serves 4

2 cups long-grain white basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron dissolved in 3 tablespoons of hot water
Butter/vegetable oil
Salt

Method:

1. In a large bowl rinse the rice with cool water a few times to get rid of the extra starch. Soak the rice in 6 cups of cool water, add 2-3 tablespoons of salt, set aside for at least a couple of hours.
2. In a large non-stick pot, bring 6 cups of water to a rapid boil on medium-high heat. 
3. Drain the rice and pour it into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil on medium-high heat for about 7 minutes or until the grains are long, soft on the outside, and hard in the center. Drain the rice and rinse it well under cool running water.
4. Wash the rice pot and return to heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil to the bottom and one tablespoon of saffron-water mixture. With a large spatula return the parboiled rice into the pot, building it into a pyramid shape away from the sides of the pot. To release the steam make 4-5 holes in the rice with the bottom of the spatula. 
5. Cook the rice for 7-10 minutes or until rice is steaming. When the steam starts to come out, pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the remaining saffron over the rice, add 1/4 cup of water around the sides. Wrap the lid with a clean cloth (dam-koni) to absorb the water, cover, lower the heat and steam the rice on low heat for another 45-50 minutes.

Serve rice and tahdig on a platter. 

Enjoy!