This recipe from Chef Palak Patel is part of a series where we delved into springtime traditions from around the world. Persian Jeweled Rice is a dish for Nowruz, a spring celebration that acts as a sort of “new years” in Central Asia. Doesn’t it make more sense to start the new year when the flowers are blooming rather than in the dead of winter? This rice is easy to make and is a great base for a platter of all kinds of decadent Nowruz foods, including Chef Palak’s Persian Lamb and Kidney Bean Stew.
What to Serve with Persian Jeweled Rice
Persian Lamb and Kidney Bean Stew is a great combination with this jeweled rice dish. You can also add a mint and cilantro chutney as a sauce on the side. Or, combine it with some other regional sauces and spices if you have a personal favorite.
Persian Jeweled Rice
Description
A simple recipe that connects you to a long history!
Ingredients
- 2 cups aged basmati rice
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- Kosher salt
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into matchstick-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons dried tart cherries
- 1/4 cup dried currants
- 1/4 cup Persian green raisins
- ¼ cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed and soaked in ¼ cup hot water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Place almonds and pistachios on separate baking sheets and toast until golden brown, 5–8 minutes; let cool. Set nuts aside.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve and rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Soak rice in cold water for 1 hour up to 24 hours. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve.
- In a large pasta pot, add water and bring to a rolling boil, season with salt and gently add rice making sure to not break the grains. Cook rice stirring occasionally until grains have lengthened but are still firm. Drain and rinse under cold water. Spread rice in a thin layer on a baking sheet to cool.
- Combine tart cherries, currants and green raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let them soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Place saffron in another small bowl and add 1/4 cup hot water; set aside.
- Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion slices and carrot sticks, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown. Add spices and 1 tablespoon saffron mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Reduce heat to low, add soaked cherries, currants raisins, and apricots and cook, stirring often. Stir in reserved nuts, season with kosher salt. Remove from heat and keep aside.
- Heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add half of rice, spreading evenly; add fruit and half of the nut mixture in a thin layer, then remaining rice, spreading evenly.
- Using a spoon, create circular holes in the rice mixture for steam to escape. Drizzle remaining saffron mixture over rice. Place a clean kitchen towel over the pot, fit the lid over the pot. Be sure no steam can escape.
- Cook on medium high heat there is steam, 5–8 minutes. Reduce heat to very low or move the pot to a smaller burner and cook without stirring until the rice is tender and the bottom layer of rice is browned, about 20 minutes.
- Spoon rice into a serving plate and sprinkle with the remaining toasted nuts.
Recipe by Palak Patel
Styling by Ana Kelly
Photography by Adam Milliron
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