Lentils and Persian Rice with a Tahdeeg

Name: Lentils and Persian Rice with a Tahdeeg
Yield: Serves 6–8
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: salt and freshly ground black pepper; 10 ml/2 tsp natural (plain) yogurt; 75 g/3 oz/6 tbsp melted ghee or clarified butter; 75 g/3 oz/6 tbsp melted ghee or clarified butter; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 10 ml/2 tsp ground coriander; 45 ml/3 tbsp tomato purée (paste); a few saffron threads; 1 egg yolk, beaten; 2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 finely sliced; 150 g/5 oz/⅔ cup green lentils; 600 ml/1 pint/2 ½ cups vegetable stock; 50 g/2 oz/⅓ cup raisins; 450 g/1 lb/2 ⅓ cups basmati rice, soaked; 150 ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup sunflower oil; 2 garlic cloves, crushed

Preparation info

Serves
6–8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Lentil Cookbook

By Ghillie Basan

Published 2016

About

Persian or Iranian cuisine is exotic and delicious, and the flavours are intense. This green lentil dish is served with a tahdeeg, which is the glorious golden rice crust or ‘dig’ that forms on the bottom of the pan as the rice cooks.

Ingredients

450 g/1 lb/2 ⅓ cups basmati rice, soaked
150

Asia
Iran
Main course
Vegetarian
Gluten-free
Mediterranean

Method

Drain the rice, then cook it in plenty of boiling salted water for 10–12 minutes or until tender. Drain again.
Heat 30 ml/2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan and fry the garl