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Crusty Persian Rice With Cinnamon & Pistach

Category: Misc

Author: The Savvybearcat

Date: 1/1/2007

Rating:

(3.0) by 1 users

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup Basmati rice (18 ounces)
2 tbsp Salt (plus 1/4 teaspoon)
1/8 tsp Saffron threads
1 small Orange
6 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Shelled unsalted pistachios (2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup Golden raisins
2 tbsp Vegetable oil

Instructions:

Put rice in medium bowl with water to cover. Drain and repeat
procedure 5 times. Return rice to the bowl and gently fill the bowl
with cold running water. Keep the water running gently into the bowl
until the liquid runs clear. Drain, return rice to the bowl with
water to cover, and let stand for at least 6 hours. (Can let stand at
room temperature overnight.) Bring 4 quarts of water with 2
tablespoons salt to boil in a soup kettle. Keep the water boiling
while slowly adding the drained rice. Simmer for 5 minutes; rinse
with cold running water and drain thoroughly. Remove 1 cup of rice
and stir in the saffron threads; set aside. Put the plain rice in a
large bowl. Peel a 3- by 1-inch strip of zest from the orange and
cut into 1/8-inch dice. Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a small
saucepan, add the zest, and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain the zest and
pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet and saute the
zest for 15 seconds; add the sugar and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in
cinnamon, pistachios, raisins, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; saute, stirring
continuously to coat with butter-sugar mixture. Stir zest mixture
into the plain rice. Melt the remaining butter. Coat the bottom and
sides of a heavy, lidded, 3-quart saucepan (preferably cast iron)
with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter mixed with the oil. Heat the
coated pan until hot. Remove from the heat and spread half of the
zested rice over the bottom of the pan, pressing down well with a
spoon. Cover with a mound of the remaining zested rice. Sprinkle the
saffron rice over the top. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a
hole in the center of the rice deep enough to reach the bottom of the
pan. Make 2 or 3 additional holes in the rice to allow steam to
escape. Drizzle rice with remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter.
Cook rice for 6 minutes over low heat, uncovered. Wrap lid in a linen
towel, securing towel ends under or around lid handle. Cover the pot
with the towel-wrapped lid and steam over low heat for 40 to 60
minutes, until a crisp golden crust forms on the bottom of the rice.
Remove pan from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. SERVING: Spoon
soft, fluffy rice onto a platter. Break the bottom crust into pieces
and arrange around the fluffy rice. Serve immediately