Persian Upside Down Rice Dish – Tahdig (ته دیگ)

 

I prepared this dish for the first time about 3 years ago. Then, I forgot this recipe. Yesterday I had the inspiration: I will prepare a beautiful side dish, something that will make my family smile. Tahdig! The idea was using miniature cookies cutters and cut out the potatoes slices; why not! Look at my creation and now it’s your turn, let your fantasy play…

You need

• 2 to 3 liters salted water, boiling
• 2 cups rice
• 1/3 cup oil, less if you have a good non sticky pan/pot
• 2 small potatoes, about 300 g
• 2 tablespoon butter

Procedure

1. Wash the rice until water runs clear.
2. Bring salted water to boil, add rice and cook until almost done, but still little hard in the center.
3. Poor oil in a non-sticky pan/pot. I used a skillet, as I didn’t have a non-sticky pot.
4. Peel the potatoes and slice them (1/2 cm thick). Place them in the pot over the oil.
5. Transfer the rice over the potatoes taking care not to move the potatoes.
6. Add 1/2 cup water, dot the rice with butter.
7. Place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until it starts steaming. Lower heat to „low“ and cook for 40 minutes.
8. To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan and voilà!