Rice With Green Lentils, Raisins, And Dates
Serves: 6
Keyon Hand
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
53
Spice
49
Sweetness
53
Sourness
43
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
400 g
Basmati Rice3 tbsps
Salt140 g
Green Lentils60 g
Raisin60 g
Date1 medium
Onion2 medium
Potatoes (for the tahdig* optional)140 g
Butter2 fluid ounce
Vegetable Oil (oz)2 tsps
Turmeric4 tbsps
Saffron (liquid)Directions:
1
Wash the rice and soak for 2 hours
2
Wash the lentils thoroughly and drain them
3
Wash the raisins and pat dry on kitchen paper
4
Take the stones/pits out of the dates and chop them to the same size as the raisins
5
Peel the onion and chop it finely
6
Wash, peel and thinly slice the potatoes, if using, and put them in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration
7
Wash the rice and soak for 2 hours
8
Wash the lentils thoroughly and drain them
9
Wash the raisins and pat dry on kitchen paper
10
Take the stones/pits out of the dates and chop them to the same size as the raisins
11
Peel the onion and chop it finely
12
Wash, peel and thinly slice the potatoes, if using, and put them in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration
13
Cooking Put the lentils in a saucepan and add about 500 ml/just under 1 pint of cold water; do not add salt
14
Bring to the boil and cook on a medium heat until the lentils are al dente
15
Drain and set aside
16
Heat 30 g/1 oz of the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan/skillet on a medium heat and fry the onion until golden
17
Reduce the heat and add the raisins and dates and stir
18
Add the cooked lentils and 1 teaspoon of turmeric
19
Add salt to taste
20
Stir and set aside
21
Pour 400 ml/14 fl oz of water into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil
22
Drain the rice and add to the boiling water with 1 tablespoon of salt, 50 g/2 oz of butter and 3 tablespoons of oil
23
Leave to simmer, uncovered, on a medium heat, until all the water has been absorbed and holes start to appear on the surface of the rice (approximately 10 minutes)
24
Tip the rice into a shallow dish
25
(To make a rice tahdig (instead of potato), set aside 2 heaped tablespoons of the plain rice
26
) Gently fold the lentil and raisin mixture into the rice and add 3 tablespoons of the liquid saffron - take care not to break the grains of rice as you mix
27
If you are using potatoes for the tahdig, drain and dry the potato slices
28
Return the saucepan to the heat
29
Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and when it is sizzling arrange the sliced potatoes in a layer to cover the bottom of the pan
30
(Alternatively, you can use a couple of tablespoons of cooked plain rice instead of potato slices, or make other types of tahdig
31
) Spoon the lentil and rice mixture over the layer of potatoes
32
Keep the rice in a pyramid shape and away from the sides of the pan as much as possible
33
Dot the rest of the butter on top of the rice
34
Wrap the lid in a clean tea towel and place it firmly on the pan
35
Leave to steam on a low heat (with a heat diffuser on a gas flame) for 50 minutes to 1 hour
36
When the rice is ready, dip the bottom of the pan in cold water, or stand the pan in 5 cm/2 inches of cold water for few minutes, to help release the bottom layer
37
Serve the rice in a shallow dish, fluffing it as you spoon it out
38
Drizzle the remaining liquid saffron over the rice
39
Detach and break the crispy layer of potatoes or plain rice from the bottom of the pan and serve on a separate plate
40
To serve, accompany with a dish of fresh herbs, radishes and spring onions/scallions
41
Mango chutney or pickles also go well with this dish
42
Cooking Put the lentils in a saucepan and add about 500 ml/just under 1 pint of cold water; do not add salt
43
Bring to the boil and cook on a medium heat until the lentils are al dente
44
Drain and set aside
45
Heat 30 g/1 oz of the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan/skillet on a medium heat and fry the onion until golden
46
Reduce the heat and add the raisins and dates and stir
47
Add the cooked lentils and 1 teaspoon of turmeric
48
Add salt to taste
49
Stir and set aside
50
Pour 400 ml/14 fl oz of water into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil
51
Drain the rice and add to the boiling water with 1 tablespoon of salt, 50 g/2 oz of butter and 3 tablespoons of oil
52
Leave to simmer, uncovered, on a medium heat, until all the water has been absorbed and holes start to appear on the surface of the rice (approximately 10 minutes)
53
Tip the rice into a shallow dish
54
(To make a rice tahdig (instead of potato), set aside 2 heaped tablespoons of the plain rice
55
) Gently fold the lentil and raisin mixture into the rice and add 3 tablespoons of the liquid saffron - take care not to break the grains of rice as you mix
56
If you are using potatoes for the tahdig, drain and dry the potato slices
57
Return the saucepan to the heat
58
Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and when it is sizzling arrange the sliced potatoes in a layer to cover the bottom of the pan
59
(Alternatively, you can use a couple of tablespoons of cooked plain rice instead of potato slices, or make other types of tahdig
60
) Spoon the lentil and rice mixture over the layer of potatoes
61
Keep the rice in a pyramid shape and away from the sides of the pan as much as possible
62
Dot the rest of the butter on top of the rice
63
Wrap the lid in a clean tea towel and place it firmly on the pan
64
Leave to steam on a low heat (with a heat diffuser on a gas flame) for 50 minutes to 1 hour
65
When the rice is ready, dip the bottom of the pan in cold water, or stand the pan in 5 cm/2 inches of cold water for few minutes, to help release the bottom layer
66
Serve the rice in a shallow dish, fluffing it as you spoon it out
67
Drizzle the remaining liquid saffron over the rice
68
Detach and break the crispy layer of potatoes or plain rice from the bottom of the pan and serve on a separate plate
69
To serve, accompany with a dish of fresh herbs, radishes and spring onions/scallions
70
Mango chutney or pickles also go well with this dish
71
Preparing the tahdig During the steaming process a crust will form in the bottom of the pan
72
This is called the tahdig and is a delicious accompaniment to the rice, much prized by Iranians
73
You can adjust the thickness and flavor of your tahdig by adding various ingredients: see the list below
74
Before returning the boiled rice to the saucepan, heat a mixture of butter and vegetable oil in the pan (just enough to cover the base of the pan) on a medium heat until sizzling
75
Then cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of your chosen ingredient
76
Carefully spoon the rice on top, then steam
77
If you are making _tahdig_for a polo, add all the polo ingredients of your choice to the rice before beginning the tahdig process
78
During the steaming process a crust will form in the bottom of the pan
79
This is called the tahdig and is a delicious accompaniment to the rice, much prized by Iranians
80
You can adjust the thickness and flavor of your tahdig by adding various ingredients: see the list below
81
Before returning the boiled rice to the saucepan, heat a mixture of butter and vegetable oil in the pan (just enough to cover the base of the pan) on a medium heat until sizzling
82
Then cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of your chosen ingredient
83
Carefully spoon the rice on top, then steam
84
If you are making _tahdig_for a polo, add all the polo ingredients of your choice to the rice before beginning the tahdig process