Tahchin (Persian Saffron Rice Cake)
A layered baked Persian saffron rice cake with chicken. Though listed in the book's Arab section, tahchin is Iranian (Persia). Difficulty: Advanced. Dietary labels: Vegetarian | Gluten-Free | Contains dairy (yoghurt, butter).
⏱️ Prep: 30 min🍳 Cook: 75 min
Nutrition
520
Calories
18g
Protein
60g
Carbs
24g
Fat
Ingredients
| 300 g | basmati rice | |
| 1 litre | water + 2 tbsp salt (for parboiling) | |
| 300 g | plain yoghurt (full-fat) | |
| 3 | egg yolks | |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water |
| 80 g | butter or ghee, melted | |
| 300 g | chicken thigh, cooked and shredded (or roasted vegetables for vegetarian) | |
| — | salt and pepper | |
| 50 g | barberries (zereshk) or dried cranberries (optional) | |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | slivered pistachios for garnish |
Instructions
- Rinse rice and soak in salted water for 2 hours. Drain.
- Parboil rice in a large pot of boiling salted water for 6-8 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a bowl, whisk yoghurt, egg yolks, half the saffron water, half the melted butter, salt, and pepper.
- Add the parboiled rice to the yoghurt mixture. Stir gently.
- Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Generously butter a round springform pan or a non-stick cake tin.
- Spread half the rice mixture into the pan, pressing firmly to form a compact layer.
- Arrange shredded chicken (or vegetables) over the rice. Sprinkle barberries if using.
- Cover with the remaining rice mixture. Press down firmly. Drizzle with remaining butter.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes to crisp the top.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. The golden saffron crust (tahdig) should be on top.
- Garnish with pistachios and remaining saffron water. Serve warm.
Chef's tip: The crust is the most prized part. To ensure a non-stick release, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Tahchin can be made with eggplant, spinach, or lamb instead of chicken.