Jeweled Rice with Dried Fruit

Jeweled Rice with Dried Fruit

Info

Rating
Calories
413.0
Protein
6.0
Sodium
2642.0
Fat
14.0

Description

Here, you only boil the rice briefly before combining it with the dried fruit and cooking it without water. We adapted this rice from a Persian method that yields a buttery crust (called tah-dig) on the bottom of the pan — later the crust is served with the rice. Usually you have to dip the pot in cold water at the end of cooking to release the crust, but a happy kitchen accident occurred when we tested this recipe. Food editor Ruth Cousineau let the rice stand for almost an hour (things can get hectic when you're preparing a holiday meal), and the crust came right out without the dipping. Using a heavy pot helps keep the rice hot, too.

Ingredients

3 cups basmati rice (1 1/4 lb)
4 qt water
3 tablespoons salt
1/2 cup dried apricots (3 1/2 oz), quartered
1/2 cup golden raisins (3 oz)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (2 oz)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shelled unsalted pistachios (not dyed red; 2 1/2 oz)

Directions

  1. Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a large sieve.
  2. Bring water and salt to a boil in a 6-quart heavy pot, then add rice and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes from time water returns to boil. Drain rice in sieve.
  3. Toss together dried fruit in a bowl. Melt 6 tablespoons butter with cardamom and pepper in cleaned and dried pot, stirring to combine, then alternately layer rice and dried fruit over it, beginning and ending with rice and mounding loosely. Make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot with round handle of a wooden spoon, then cover pot with a kitchen towel and a heavy lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid (to keep towel from burning) and cook rice over moderately low heat, undisturbed, until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, tightly covered and undisturbed, at least 30 minutes.
  4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook pistachios, stirring, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Spoon loose rice onto a platter, then break crust into 1-inch pieces and scatter over rice. Sprinkle with pistachios.

Tags

    Rice Side Christmas Thanksgiving Vegetarian Quick & Easy Wheat/Gluten-Free Dried Fruit Raisin Pistachio Fall Christmas Eve Gourmet Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher
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