From: Recipes My Mother Taught Me
by Maryam Khatamee Cornejo
Recipes for Fall/Winter Days . . .
Chelow: Fluffy saffron steamed plain basmati rice
Makes 6 servings
Soaking time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
For Soaking the Rice:
3 cups long grain basmati rice, ¼ cup sea salt, 4 cups lukewarm water
For the Crust (Tah-dig):
4 large russet potatoes, salt as needed, 7 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
For the Garnish:
1 tsp. ground saffron, dissolved in hot water, 2 tsp. melted butter or olive oil
Directions:
Soak the rice: Wash the rice by placing it in a fine mesh colander and rinsing it under lukewarm water for about one minute or until the water runs clear.
Dissolve ¼ cup salt in 4 cups of lukewarm water and put clean rice into the salty water.
Soak for 4 hours.
Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice them into ¼ inch-thick slices. Place potato slices in a medium bowl, cover with cold water, and set aside.
Drain soaked rice in a fine-mesh colander.
Bring 7 cups of water to boil in a large nonstick pot (about 8 quarts) and pour drained rice into the boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes, gently stirring once. Then drain rice in a large fine-mesh colander.
Drain potatoes, pat dry, sprinkle salt on both sides of each slice, and set aside.
In the same large nonstick pot, pour 7 tablespoons of oil and place potato slices across the bottom of the pot, one by one. This will make a golden crispy potato crust called tah-dig when the rice is cooked.
Now, with one large slotted spoon, transfer drained rice, one spoonful at a time, and gently place it on top of the potatoes, gradually shaping the rice into a cone, leaving space for the rice to expand.
Pour the dissolved saffron butter/oil mixture over the rice. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the rice for 15 minutes over medium heat and then 30 minutes over low heat.
Remove the pot from heat, remove the lid, and take out two slotted spoonfuls of saffron flavored rice to set aside for garnish.
Continue using a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked rice, one spoonful at a time, to a serving platter or individual plate, without disturbing the potato crust. Mound the rice into a cone and scatter the saffron rice garnish over the top of the rice cone.
With a slotted spoon, detach the layer of potato crust from the bottom of the pot and place it onto another dish or next to the rice, serving immediately while warm.
Spinach and Prune Stew:
Makes 10 servings
Cooking time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
2 lbs stew meat (beef, veal, lamb)
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
4 cups finely sliced onions
2½ Tbsp. dry fenugreek
2 cups (10 oz.) pitted prunes (approx. 36)
1½ tsp. turmeric
2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1½ Tbsp. lime juice
7 cups of water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 lbs fresh spinach, chopped, steamed, and squeezed dry or 4 boxes frozen chopped spinach (10 oz. each), thawed and squeezed dry
Directions:
Heat up five tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Sauté onions until golden. Add meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, stirring frequently until meat is golden brown on all sides. Add turmeric and stir for another minute. Add 7 cups of water, stir, and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes.
Heat up remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and sauté the defrosted spinach for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add dry fenugreek and cilantro, stir, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.
Add spinach/cilantro/fenugreek to the meat mixture. Add prunes. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for another 1½ hrs or until the stew reaches a thick consistency.
If meat is tender, add just the seasoning and transfer the stew into a deep serving dish. Serve warm and with chelow (fluffy saffron steamed plain basmati rice).
