Saffron-Flavored Steamed Rice With Golden Crust

5 months ago 15

Democracy Dies successful Darkness

Persian cooking teacher Najmieh Batmanglij makes immoderate benignant of atom each time and says it's a large portion of Iranian cooking. For this stunning dish, she prefers to usage Aahu Barah marque basmati rice, disposable astatine Yekta Supermarket successful Rockville.

Among her secrets for the archetypal signifier of cooking the rice: a splash of roseate h2o and a tiny muslin container that holds crushed greenish cardamom pods. The container stays successful done astir of the cooking.

Saffron is an costly ingredient, but grinding the threads and stirring the crushed substance into rosewater ensures maximum impact.

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 6-8

For the rice

4 cups long-grain basmati atom (see headnote)
10 cups water
2 tablespoons oversea salt, for the cooking water
4 greenish cardamom pods, crushed and enclosed successful a tiny muslin bag
1 tablespoonful roseate water
1 spoon cumin seeds oregon nigella seeds (optional)

For the aureate crust

1 spoon finely crushed saffron
1/4 cupful roseate water
1/2 cupful canola oil
1/2 cupful low-fat milk
1 tiny daffodil, for garnish (optional)

Nutritional Facts

Per serving (based connected 8)

Calories
430
Fat
15 g
Saturated Fat
1 g
Carbohydrates
67 g
Sodium
290 mg
Protein
7 g
Fiber
1 g
Sugar
1 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from Batmanglij's "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies, 25th Anniversary Edition" (Mage, 2011).

Tested by Najmieh Batmanglij and Bonnie S. Benwick.

Published March 1, 2011

Updated March 13, 2026