Persian cooking Persian cooking

Have you ever taste Tahchin Morgh?

Contemporary Persian cooking wears its heritage on its sleeve. Rice has a place of honor, prepared with a prized, golden crust formed from clarified butter, saffron, and yogurt. Lamb and chicken are marinated and grilled as kebabs, or mixed into stews called khoresht with fruit and sour ingredients such as lime juice. Cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices are used in great abundance, along with a multitude of fresh herbs, and pickles and flatbreads are served at every meal. Desserts feature rose water and pistachios, and refreshing drinks called sharbats are made from diluted fruit and herb syrups.

Tahchin Morgh

Tahchin, is an Iranian rice cake primarily consisting of rice, yogurt, saffron, and eggs. Some versions of the dish are more elaborate, folding in chicken fillets, vegetables, fish, or red meat. Tahchin Morgh is composed of two different parts: the thin Tahdig part which includes the chicken fillets, saffron, and other ingredients at the bottom of the cooking pot and the second part which is the white rice. In restaurants, tahchin is mostly prepared and served without the white rice part. You can follow tahchin morgh recipe here:

Ingredients

· 2 cups basmati rice

· 2 eggs

· 1/2 cup dried barberries

· 1/2 cup plain yogurt

· 2 tablespoon butter

· 1/4 cup oil

· 4 tablespoon bloomed saffron

· Salt and pepper

· 1 boneless chicken breast

· 1 onion

· Turmeric

· 2 tablespoon slivered almonds(optional)

· 2 tablespoon slivered pistachios(optional)

Instructions

Step 1

Soak barberries in water for 1 hour.

Step 2

To cook chicken, first slice one small onion. Now cook 1 boneless chicken breast with onion, 1 glass of water, salt, pepper and turmeric with gentle heat until it finishes the water. Cut the chicken into small pieces.

Step 3

Rinse rice until the water went clear. Place rice in a large pan filled with water. Add some salt and let it cook. The rise is done after 6 to 8 minutes when it begins to rise to the top and the water comes back to a boil. Check the rice is cooked at the end by trying a grain. Break one grain in half. Rice should be soft on the outside but hard in the middle. Pour rice into the colander to drain; then set aside.

Step 4

In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, egg yolks and saffron liquid.

Step 5

Add the rice to the yogurt mixture and stir it well.

Step 6

Add 3 tablespoons oil to rice cooker or pan.

Step 7

Pour half of the rice into the pan. Flatten the first layer with a spoon, layer chicken pieces and then cover the entire surface with remaining rice.

Step 7

Pour remaining liquid saffron or 2 tablespoons of oil or melted butter over the rice.

Step 8

Place the pot on medium-high heat directly on the stove top. Cover the pot and cook until rice begins to steam. Then lower the heat and cook for one hour until the crust forms.

Reference: yummynotes