Baked Saffron Yogurt Rice with Lamb

Name: Baked Saffron Yogurt Rice with Lamb (Tah-chin-e barreh)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: 2½ cups/600 g plain, thick yogurt, beaten; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced; 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 pounds (900 g) boned leg of lamb, or chicken thighs, cut into 3-in/7.5cm cubes; Zest of 3 oranges; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon ground cardamom; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1½ teaspoons sea salt; 1 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 4 tablespoons orange blossom water; 4 egg yolks, beaten; 4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 cup and 2 tablespoons oil (255 ml), melted butter, or ghee*; 3 cups (600 g) long-grain basmati rice, washed

Tah-chin-e barreh

Preparation info

Makes
6
servings

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
3 hr 30

Appears in

Food of Life

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2011

About

Ingredients

Meat

2 pounds (900 g) boned leg of lamb, or chicken thighs, cut into 3-in/7.5cm cubes
2

Asia
Iran
Main course
Southeast Asia
Gluten-free

Method

Place the lamb, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and 1 cup water (do not add water if using chicken) in a Dutch oven, cover, and cook over low heat—1 hour for lamb, ½ hour for chicken. Uncover, raise heat to medium and continue to cook until all the juices have been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
For the yogurt marination: In a co