Tahdig with Jeweled Pomegranate, Almond, Date Crunch
Ingredients
For Tahdig:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 ½ tablespoons salt, plus 1 teaspoon, divided
- ½ tsp saffron
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt or leave out)
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (like avocado oil), divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or more oil)
For Pomegranate, Almond, Date Crunch
- ½ cup sliced toasted almonds
- ½ cup dates, diced
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ½ tablespoon chopped mint
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Rinse rice in very cold water until the water is almost clear. The soak the rice for 60 minutes in very cold water.
- Fill a stockpot with 4 quarts of water and 1 ½ tablespoons of salt to a boil. You want the water salty to flavor the rice!
- While the water is coming to a boil, prep your saffron. Crush the saffron strands with your fingers and let infuse with 2 tablespoons of hot water for 15 minutes.
- Add the rice to the water and cook for 5 minutes just until the rice is al dente- soft on the outside and a little hard on the inside still.
- When the rice is ready, rinse the rice again with cold water and drain well.
- Meanwhile, get a 10-inch nonstick pan ready (important!) and cover the lid for the pan with a clean towel wrapped around tight so no pieces hang off.
- Mix 2 cups of rice with yogurt, saffron water and 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Heat the pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter (or all oil) and swirl evenly around the pan.
- Add the yogurt rice mixture and spread out evenly in the pan. The add the rest of the rice but don't pack it down.
- Poke 6-8 holes in the rice with the end of a wooden spoon to let steam escape.
- Cook the rice for 5-8 minutes until the edges start to brown, you should see some oil popping up on the sides a little.
- Lower heat to very low, cover and cook for 35-45 more minutes until the rice is cooked and the bottom is very golden, rotating the pan periodically.
- While the rice is cooking, make your topping. Combine almonds, dates, pomegranate and mint. Then drizzle with olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Loosen the sides of the rice a little with a fork to make sure it isn't sticking. Uncover and top with a plate and carefully flip onto the plate. If it doesn't come out in one piece, no big deal! Top with crunchy topping and serve immediately.
Notes
-
- Get the saffron! It makes this recipe 100%.
- Make sure to use basmati rice and rinse it well for light, fluffy rice.
- If you want to make it pareve, you can try dairy free coconut yogurt in place of Greek yogurt or leave it out, and use all oil instead of butter.
- It's important to use a non-stock pan to help the tahdig slide out easily. No need to get fancy!
- This recipe is best served immediately after cooking. The topping can be prepped a few hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.
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