Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)

Instructions

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1. 1 Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear; drain. Add the rice and 1 tablespoon of salt to a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover 2 inches above the rice. Leave to soak overnight.
2. 2 Wash all the herbs and remove any tough or brown stem ends. Separate the green parts of the scallions, reserving the whites for another use. Dry with a tea towel. Pulse the herbs and spring onion greens in a food processor until they are finely chopped. Place the greens in a large bowl and set aside.
3. 3 Place the ground saffron in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water. Stir to allow the saffron to bloom. Set aside.
4. 4 In a small pot, add the butter or ghee and melt over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of water and the garlic and let infuse gently for 1 minute. Turn the heat off and set aside until ready to use.
5. 5 Fill a large non-stick pot (at least 3 quarts) with 8 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring the water to a boil. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot. Gently stir the rice to make sure it does not stick to the pan. Every minute, give the rice a gentle stir and take a grain of rice and check the texture between your fingers. You want the rice to have a soft outer layer but still firm center (al dente). This can take anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes.
6. 6 Once the parboiled rice reaches the correct texture, turn the heat off and immediately drain the rice in a colander or sieve. Drizzle a little cold water on the rice to halt the cooking process.
7. 7 Add 2 cups of the drained parboiled rice to the bowl of bloomed saffron. Stir gently with a spoon until evenly coated in the saffron mixture and the rice has an orange color. Rinse and dry the rice pot. Add 2 tablespoons of oil plus 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and garlic mixture to the pot and coat the bottom completely. Add the saffron rice in an even layer in the bottom of the pot and pat it down flat with the back of a spoon.
8. 8 Add the remaining parboiled rice into the bowl with the chopped greens and gently stir. Drizzle the remaining garlic butter mixture into the herbed rice and stir gently, being careful not to break the grains of rice. Pour the herbed rice mixture into the pot on top of the saffron layer (careful not to disturb it) and pat down with a spoon until flat. Using the handle of a spoon, poke 5 evenly spaced holes into the rice, stopping just above the tahdig layer, leaving it intact.
9. 9 Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat to high. Once you start to see steam rise from the rice, turn the heat to low. Carefully wrap the lid tightly in a tea towel, tying the ends up on top so they don’t touch the stove, and replace the lid on the pot. Allow the rice to steam for a minimum of 45 minutes to get a crunchy and thick layer of tahdig.
10. 10 When the rice is cooked, turn the heat off and remove the lid. Place a large plate over the top of the pot and carefully flip the rice onto the plate in one swift motion. Serve immediately. The tahdig is best served fresh, since it will lose its crispness. Leftover rice can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!