How to Make Iranian Saffron Rice?
Generally speaking, in the Iranian culture, the plain basmati rice is cooked in two different methods, regular rice, which we Persians call polo or kateh. But what do they mean for non-Persians? Well, polo is basically a traditional cooking rice method, where we soak and pre-boil the rice. As a result, the rice will be leaner and a lot longer.
On the other hand, kateh is a more straightforward way of cooking rice that anyone can do without having to seriously measure everything. In today’s article, we would like to teach you how to make Iranian saffron rice and talk about the benefits of saffron that are good for your overall health.
The Persian Rice Recipe
To cook Iranian saffron rice, you don’t need to be an expert. Although, it takes a bit of practice, and you won’t get the perfect Iranian saffron rice until you make it a few times. Persians eat a lot of rice, and in fact, rice is the most crucial part of any Persian dish. There are many rice-based Persian dishes that are easy to make, yet they are very time-consuming. But how would you make Iranian saffron rice?
Which Type of Rice is needed to make Iranian saffron rice
Basmati rice is all that’s needed to make perfect Iranian white rice. Bastami rice has a long, grainy texture that keeps the rice’s shape even after steaming. It doesn’t become sticky or mushy. There are Persian supermarkets nearly everywhere, so you can find Persian rice. Basmati, if there aren’t any Persian supermarkets near you, is the best option.
Iranian Saffron Rice
To make the saffron topping and add it to your rice, you have to take good five tablespoons of your cooked rice and mix two tablespoons ofhigh-quality bloomed saffron(you can buy saffron from your local supermarket or online), and start mixing it with your rice. Once the rice gets a pleasing yellow color, spread the saffron rice mixture on top of the white rice that’s about to be served.
Without further ado, let’s begin the process of cooking Persian rice.
How to make Persian Rice
To make Persian rice for six servings, you need:
- 3 cups of Basmati rice
- 8 cups of water
- Two teaspoons of salt
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- Three tablespoons of bloomed saffron
To reduce the starch in the rice, try to rinse the rice at least twice, then put it aside. Fill a semi-large pot with 8 cups of water and put it on the stove; once it reached a boiling point, add your rinsed Basmati rice, salt, and oil and let it boil for around 5-8 minutes. After 8 minutes, there shouldn’t be any water left in the pot.
Grab a spatula and make 5-6 holes in the rice; this will let the steam out and help the rice not to be sticky. Wrap the lid of your pot with a kitchen towel and place it on top of the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low until you see steam coming out of the pot. Let it cook for 30 minutes on medium-low heat.
After 30 minutes, your rice should be ready to serve. Thus, turn the heat off and prepare a service platter, grab your spatula or a large spoon and transfer the rice to the serving platter. Now that the rice is on the serving platter add the saffron mixture to the rice, and that’s how you make Persian saffron rice in less than an hour.
Benefits of Saffron
In our previous article, we have discussed thebenefits of saffron for health. However, we will briefly explain the benefits of saffron.
- Saffron is one of the most powerful antioxidants.
- It is proven it canreduce anxietyand help with depression.
- It is known for its cancer-fighting properties.
- It can help with PMS and reduce its symptoms.
- It can reduce appetite and help with weight loss.
