Persian Baked Rice

👨‍🍳 Method

1. 1
   Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Soak about half an hour in salted water and drain.

   ⚙ SoakingBowl

   💡Soak in plenty of water, well above what's being soaked: legumes and grains swell and drink water, and whatever sticks out stays hard. Drain well before continuing.
2. 2
   Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, until the grain is soft outside and firm in the center, and drain.

   ⚙ Cooking in salted waterStoveWide, shallow potColander

   💡Only parboil: the grain finishes cooking in the steam, and rice cooked all the way turns sticky in the pot.

   💡The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.
3. 3
   Put the saffron in the hot water and soak for 15 minutes.
4. 4
   Heat the oil and butter' in a wide, shallow pot' over high heat and sprinkle in the turmeric.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveWide, shallow pot
5. 5
   Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the bottom of the pot and fry for 5 minutes, without flipping.

   Stove
6. 6
   Fill the pot with the rice over the potatoes, season with salt, level and press down, and pour the saffron water over the top. Poke a few holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon, for steam.
7. 7
   'Cook over high heat for 2–3 minutes, until steam rises from the holes. 'Turn down' to the lowest heat', cover with a towel and the lid and simmer about 45 minutes.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid

   💡The towel around the lid absorbs the steam: the rice comes out fluffy and separate, and the tahdig stays crisp, not soggy.

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
8. 8
   Invert the rice onto a serving platter, golden crust up.

   Serving platter