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DEL.ICIO.USTah Dig ("Bottom of the Pot" Crusted Rice)
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Cuisine: Persian
In the Kitchen With . . . Heather Hewitt, Atlanta
Nominated by her mother, Suzanne M. Hewitt: "Heather comes from a long line of good cooks, including her maternal grandmother, Mary Belle McLeary. She had the good fortune of growing up in a predominantly Italian section of central West Virginia, where she learned to cook Italian specialties at an early age. "While living in West Africa, she mastered some of the dishes of the region, including peanut stew. She has also become proficient at cooking traditional Persian food since her marriage to Nassir Ghaemi, a native of Iran. She hasn't forgotten her Appalachian roots, either.”
Hands on time: 10 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Serves: 6
Ingredients:
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Tah Dig ("Bottom of the Pot" Crusted Rice)
2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig):
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
2 pounds lamb shank or beef stew meat (trim excess fat)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
4 1/2 cups water
3 bunches fresh parsley, washed, chopped finely
1 bunch fresh chives, washed, chopped finely
1 bunch fresh green onions, washed, trimmed and finely chopped, greens included
2 bunches fresh cilantro, washed, trimmed, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried fenugreek, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, strained through sieve
1 (15-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 (10-ounce) bags fresh spinach, finely chopped
3 tablespoons dried Persian lime powder (Limu-omani) or 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 to 6 whole dried Persian limes (Limu-omani), washed, dried and pierced with a knife, optional
Instructions:
In a rice steamer or saucepan, combine the rice, water and salt. If using a steamer, follow the manufacturer's directions to cook. If cooking in a saucepan, cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan with tight lid. Swirl the heated oil around the bottom half of the pot. Place the cooked rice in the pot, tamping it down gently with a wooden spoon so the rice is touching the sides and is firmly packed against the bottom of the pan. Cover the pot with the tight-fitting lid, turn the heat up to medium-high and set the timer for 20 minutes of "crusting" time. You will hear a slight sizzling sound on the bottom of the pot when it's nearly done.
Remove the lid and invert the rice onto a large platter or plate for serving. (The crusted bottom should be on top.) It's best to immediately remove the crusted part with a wooden spoon, either in large or small sections so the crust won't get soggy. Place the crusted sections on a separate plate or on the sides of the steamed rice and serve immediately with the stew. The crust is served as an accompaniment to the whole entree, and each person should get a few pieces.
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig):
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onion and the shanks or cubed beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until the meat is browned. Add the turmeric and saffron (and water for dissolving) and stir well to coat the meat. Add 4 1/2 cups water, cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add parsley, chives, green onions, cilantro and fenugreek. Saute the herbs until they give off a rich aroma, about 10 minutes. Add this mixture to the stew pot and stir well to combine. Repeat this saute step with the beans and fresh spinach, using remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add to the stew pot. Then add the dried lime powder or lime juice and the optional dried limes to the stew and stir again. Cover and allow to simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with Tah Dig.
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan with tight lid. Swirl the heated oil around the bottom half of the pot. Place the cooked rice in the pot, tamping it down gently with a wooden spoon so the rice is touching the sides and is firmly packed against the bottom of the pan. Cover the pot with the tight-fitting lid, turn the heat up to medium-high and set the timer for 20 minutes of "crusting" time. You will hear a slight sizzling sound on the bottom of the pot when it's nearly done.
Remove the lid and invert the rice onto a large platter or plate for serving. (The crusted bottom should be on top.) It's best to immediately remove the crusted part with a wooden spoon, either in large or small sections so the crust won't get soggy. Place the crusted sections on a separate plate or on the sides of the steamed rice and serve immediately with the stew. The crust is served as an accompaniment to the whole entree, and each person should get a few pieces.
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig):
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onion and the shanks or cubed beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until the meat is browned. Add the turmeric and saffron (and water for dissolving) and stir well to coat the meat. Add 4 1/2 cups water, cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add parsley, chives, green onions, cilantro and fenugreek. Saute the herbs until they give off a rich aroma, about 10 minutes. Add this mixture to the stew pot and stir well to combine. Repeat this saute step with the beans and fresh spinach, using remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add to the stew pot. Then add the dried lime powder or lime juice and the optional dried limes to the stew and stir again. Cover and allow to simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with Tah Dig.
Notes:
This rice dish is considered a real treat by most Iranians, and most definitely by our children, " Heather Hewitt says. "Cooks who make Persian food are often judged by how well [or poorly] they execute the Tah Dig."
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig) 6 servings
Hands on: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Heather Hewitt adapted this recipe from "Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen" by Najmieh Batmanglij (Mage, $22.50). The stew is extremely fragrant but not spicy. You can find fenugreek --- the dried leaves, not the seeds --- at Middle Eastern groceries.
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig) 6 servings
Hands on: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Heather Hewitt adapted this recipe from "Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen" by Najmieh Batmanglij (Mage, $22.50). The stew is extremely fragrant but not spicy. You can find fenugreek --- the dried leaves, not the seeds --- at Middle Eastern groceries.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 265 calories (percent of calories from fat, 17), 4 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 181 milligrams sodium.
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig):
Per serving: 442 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 32 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber, 25 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 81 milligrams cholesterol, 942 milligrams sodium
Fresh Herb Stew With Crusted Rice (Khoresh-e Gormeh Sabzi With Tah Dig):
Per serving: 442 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 32 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber, 25 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 81 milligrams cholesterol, 942 milligrams sodium
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