Persian Rice & Lentil with Tahdeeg recipe post-ovo lacto *** READ NOTES AT BOTTOM***

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Persian Rice and Lentils with a Tahdeeg (Maybe we should call this turban pot

stew.LOL)

 

1 pound basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly and soaked

2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2/3 cup sunflower oil (I used olive oil)

1 cup green lentils, soaked (I used brown ones)

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup raisins

2 teaspoons ground coriander

3 tablespoons tomato paste

salt and freshly ground pepper

few strands of saffron (if you don't have saffron it won't matter really)

1 egg yolk, beaten

2 teaspoons plain yogurt

6 tablespoons butter, melted and strained

extra oil, for frying

 

1. Boil the rinsed and drained rice in plenty of

well-salted water for 3 minutes only. Drain again.

 

2. Meanwhile, fry the chopped onion and garlic in

2 tablespoons of oil for 5 minutes, then add the

lentils,

stock, raisins, coriander, tomato paste and seasoning.

 

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

 

Set aside.

 

3. Soak saffron strands in a little hot water; set

aside.

Remove about 8 tablespoons rice and mix with the egg

and yogurt. Season well.

 

4. In a large saucepan, heat about two-thirds of the

remaining

oil and scatter the egg and yogurt rice evenly over

the bottom.

 

5. Scatter the remaining rice into the pan,

alternating it with

lentils. Build up in a pyramid shape away from the

sides of

the pan, finishing with plain rice on top.

 

6. With a long wooden spoon handle, make three holes

down the bottom of the pan and drizzle with the

butter.

Bring to a high heat, then wrap the pan lid in a

clean,

wet dish towel and place firmly on top. When a good

head of steam appears, turn the heat down to low.

Cook for about 30 minutes.

 

7. Meanwhile, fry the sliced onion in the remaining

oil until

browned and crisp. Drain well and set aside. (I made my onion very light brown)

 

8. Remove the rice pan from the heat, still covered,

and stand

it briefly in a sink of cold water for a minute or two

to loosen the bottom. Remove the lid and mix a few

spoons of the white rice with the saffron water

prepared in step 3.

 

9. Toss the rice and lentils together in the pan and

spoon out

onto a serving dish in a mound. Scatter the saffron

rice on top.

Break up the rice crust on the bottom (the prized

tahdeeg) and place around the mound. Scatter the

onions on top of the saffron rice and serve.

Yield: 8 servings

 

Vegetarian and Vegetable Cooking by Christine Ingram;

pg. 418

 

**NOTES #1 I posted a picture of this dish under the photo file " Donna " It's

very attractive and unusual and you want to dig right into it. I did too!

 

**NOTES #2 -This is from PT's cookbook mentioned above and I made it yesterday.

It's fabulous, the raisins take the place of meat and they just fall into place.

Don't leave them out even if you don't care for raisins. Now you wrap the top

lid of the pan with a wet dish cloth so it keeps the steam in. I used a white

dish cloth with blue checks and my ex happened to run by while this was cooking,

he asked me if it was Arafat in the pot.....LOL I gave him a plate and he loved

it also. It looks like a lot of work but it's not, everything falls into place.

I used brown lentils since I didn't have green ones in the cupboard. The

tahdeeg is a burnt crisp rice layer and I love it. Next time I will make a

little more tahdeeg on the bottom. No problem cleaning up the pan afterwards

either.

 

 

" First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain,

then there is.

Caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within..........

Donovan- " There is a Mountain "