Persian Layered Rice with Millet, Nuts & Fruits
A festive Persian-style rice dish layered with spices, nuts, dried fruits, and a crisp yogurt tahdig crust, finished with caramelized orange peel and carrot.
Ingredients
For the Rice:
- ½ kg basmati rice mixed with millet
- 2 tbsp salt (for soaking and boiling the water)
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 130 g sliced almonds toasted
- 150 g cranberries soaked
- 80 g sultana raisins
For the caramelized peel and carrot:
- peel of 1 large orange
- 1 small carrot cut into thin sticks
- 150 ml water
- 150 g granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Rice:
- Rinse the rice and millet. Place in a bowl, cover with water and 2 tbsp salt, and soak for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Drain.
For the Caramelized Vegetables and Fruits:
- Using a peeler, remove thin strips from the orange peel, and then, with a knife, cut the peel into very thin sticks.
- Use the peeler to peel the carrot and cut it into thin, long slices. Then, cut the slices in half and, finally, into very thin sticks.
- Place a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water and sugar, and stir. Add the orange peel and carrot sticks, stir, and simmer until they slightly soften. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sticks to a bowl and set aside.
For the Assembly:
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the rice and millet, cook for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Build the tahdig crust: In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir in yogurt, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, cardamom, and a pinch of salt and pepper until a paste forms. Spread evenly across the bottom.
- Layer the rice: Add one-third of the rice, pressing it flat. Add a second layer, then scatter over the almonds, cranberries, raisins, carrot, and orange peel. Finish with the remaining rice, pressing down gently.
- Steam: Wrap the pot lid with a clean kitchen towel, cover tightly, and cook over very low heat for about 70 minutes, until the rice is fluffy and a golden crust has formed.
- Serve: Invert onto a large serving platter. Garnish with extra almonds, cranberries, carrot, and orange peel. Serve warm.
Notes
Chef’s tips:
- Soak the rice for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day, to remove excess starch.
- Always cook on low heat to avoid burning the tahdig.
- Wrap the lid with a towel to retain moisture and perfect texture.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!