The Amazing World of Rice (22 page)

Rice slowly cooked in the Persian style creates a golden layer of rice on the bottom of the pot called
tah-dig
. Traditionally the rice is cooked on top of the stove in a very heavy pot. To release the rice easily, the pot is immersed in a shallow pan of ice water, which causes the hot pan to contract and release the rice. Instead I use a heavy ovenproof skillet with a nonstick surface, first cooking the rice partially on top of the stove and then finishing it in the oven. This guarantees that the rice will be golden and not scorch on a too-hot flame. Marinate the lamb a day ahead. Just before serving, slide the lamb onto skewers and grill to desired doneness. Arrange the grilled lamb around the large circle of golden rice, then sprinkle the top with the roasted walnuts. This is a stunning dish for entertaining. Serve grilled or roasted red bell peppers, pattypan squash, and halved red onions as a vegetable side dish.

Marinade

½ cup whole-milk yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

 

1½ to 2 pounds boneless lamb sirloin, cut into slices

½ inch thick, 1 inch wide, and 2 inches long

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

Kosher salt

2 cups uncooked basmati rice

2 whole cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 large (8 ounces) onion, halved and cut into thin slices

¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads

½ cup dried sweet and sour cherries, optional

1 cup broken walnuts

2 tablespoons chopped dill

• 1.
  For the marinade:
  Combine the yogurt, lime juice, ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and turmeric in a large bowl; stir to blend. Add the lamb; stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  
• 2.
  To clarify the butter:
  Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. Let stand until the solids separate. Spoon off the solids on top. Ladle
  off the clear butter; discard the solids on the bottom. You should have about ¾ cup clarified butter. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use. (This can be made several days ahead. Reheat to return the butter to a liquid consistency.)
  
• 3.
  Heat a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Stir in the rice, cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Cook for 8 minutes; drain well.
  
• 4.
  Heat ¼ cup of the clarified butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring, until wilted and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the saffron. Spread the onions evenly in the skillet. Spoon half of the rice, along with the whole spices and the dried cherries, on top of the onions, pressing down with the back of the spoon. Drizzle with half of the hot clarified butter.
  
• 5.
  Lift the meat from the marinade; scrape the marinade back into the bowl. Place the meat in another bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Pour the marinade onto the layer of rice, spreading it evenly. Spoon the remaining rice on top. Press down with the back of the spoon. Drizzle with all but about 1 tablespoon of the remaining clarified butter. (Reserve the 1 tablespoon butter for the roasted walnuts.)
  
• 6.
  Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  
• 7.
  Cover the skillet with a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil or a double layer of regular foil. Press down hard on the foil to compress the rice. Crimp the edges to seal. Cook the rice over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Transfer to the bottom oven rack and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Let the rice stand, covered, until ready to serve.
  
• 8.
  Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a small baking pan; drizzle with the reserved 1 tablespoon clarified butter and sprinkle with salt. Roast until golden, about 10 minutes.
  
• 9.
  Preheat a broiler or the grill. Thread the lamb onto skewers. Grill or broil, turning once, 5 to 8 minutes per side, for medium to medium-rare meat. Slide the
  lamb from the skewers onto a plate and sprinkle with the dill. Cover and keep warm.
  
• 10.
  To unmold the rice, loosen the edges with a flexible spatula; invert a large round platter over the skillet. Protecting your hands with mitts, quickly turn the skillet over onto the platter. Remove the skillet. If any rice or onions have stuck to the bottom of the skillet, scrape off and spoon onto the rice. Arrange the lamb around the edges. Sprinkle with the roasted walnuts. Serve at once.
  

NOTE:
Dried cherries are available in bulk or small packages in many supermarkets, health-food stores, and Middle Eastern groceries.

I learned to make this dish while visiting friends Christina and Peter and their daughters, Frances and Andrea, in Lima, Peru. Each morning we shopped in the market and in the afternoon Christina taught me to make classic Peruvian dishes. This recipe involves many steps, but the duck can be marinated and roasted and the broth made several days ahead. The chile paste used in Peru,
aji amarillo
, or yellow chile paste, is hard to find in the United States. Substitute pureed or finely chopped canned green jalapeño chiles. Duck parts (leg-thigh quarters and breasts) are sold in many specialty meat markets or ask the butcher to cut up a whole duck.
Arroz verde con pato
is traditionally served with rounds of corn on the cob and baked sweet potatoes cut crosswise into thick slices.

Marinade

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh orange juice

 

6 duck leg-thigh quarters or 1 whole duck, cut into serving pieces

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped carrot

¼ cup chopped celery

1 cup dark or amber beer

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

1 sprig parsley

Cilantro Sauce

1 bunch cilantro, leaves pulled from stems (3 cups lightly packed)

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped, or more to taste

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Kosher salt

 

1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice

Kosher salt

• 1.
  For the marinade:
  Combine the cumin, garlic, orange zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mash together with a fork. Rub over the surfaces of the duck, getting into all the crevices and under the skin. Place in a bowl or a heavy-duty self-sealing plastic bag. Add the orange juice; turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  
• 2.
  Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  
• 3.
  Place the duck on a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan. Roast, spooning off the fat from the pan every 15 minutes, until the duck is well browned and most of the fat has been rendered, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
  
• 4.
  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the rendered duck fat into a large Dutch oven or wide heavy saucepan. (Reserve 1 additional tablespoon of the duck fat for cooking the rice.) Add the onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beer; heat to a boil. Boil until reduced by half. Add the broth, bay leaf, thyme, and parsley; heat to a boil. Return the duck pieces to the pot. Cover and cook over low heat until the duck is very tender, about 1½ hours.
  
• 5.
  Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the duck to a side dish; cover and refrigerate. Set a strainer over a bowl and strain the broth; refrigerate until the broth is cold and the fat has congealed on top, about 2 hours or overnight. (This can be done up to 1 day before serving.)
  
• 6.
  Skim the fat from the broth. Measure out 3½ cups of the broth. You need ½ cup broth for the cilantro sauce; reserve the remaining 3 cups for the rice (if there isn't enough duck broth, use additional chicken broth). Wash the pot and reserve for Step 8.
  
• 7.
  For the cilantro sauce:
  Combine the cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and ½ cup duck broth in a blender jar. Blend until pureed. Taste and add more jalapeño, if desired, and salt if needed. Set aside.
  
• 8.
  For the rice:
  Heat the reserved 1 tablespoon duck fat in the pan used to cook the duck in Step 4. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until coated. Add the duck and the reserved 3 cups broth; heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the duck to a side dish and cover with foil to keep warm.
  
• 9.
  Pour the cilantro sauce evenly over the rice and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed. Spoon onto a warmed serving platter and arrange the duck on top. Serve at once.
  

The chicken is marinated in a classic Greek mixture of fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and oregano for an hour before it is cooked with the rice, but the rice and chicken need just 20 minutes or so to cook. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will stay moist and tender while chicken breasts tend to dry out.

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and dried

Marinade

2 teaspoons finely chopped or grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Pinch of kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cups uncooked Arborio, Baldo, or other medium-grain white rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 bay leaf

Salsa

1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice

1 tablespoon pitted chopped Kalamata olives

1 teaspoon chopped, rinsed, and drained capers

1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon chopped dried oregano

½ teaspoon minced garlic

Pinch of kosher salt

• 1.
  Combine the chicken with the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, and a grinding of black pepper in a large bowl; stir to coat. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for about 1 hour.
  
• 2.
  Heat the olive oil in a large wide saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the rice, and stir until coated with oil. Add the wine and heat to a boil; boil until evaporated by half.
  
• 3.
  Add the chicken and all of the marinade, 4 cups water, the salt, and bay leaf. Heat to a boil over high heat. Stir once, making sure the rice is covered with water. Cook, covered, over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes, before serving.
  
• 4.
  Meanwhile, for the salsa:
  Combine the tomatoes, olives, and capers in a bowl. Finely chop the parsley, mint, and oregano (fresh or dried) together. Add to the tomatoes, along with the garlic and salt. Stir to blend. Let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.
  
• 5.
  Spoon the rice and chicken onto a large platter. Spoon the salsa on top. Serve at once.
  

Biriyani, an elaborate Moghul dish from northern India, is made with rice cooked with saffron and spices and layered with meat. It is traditionally prepared with lamb, the preferred meat of Muslims, who don't eat pork, and Hindus, who consider the cow a sacred beast. There are probably hundreds of versions of biriyani with everything from lamb to seafood, but this one is made with chicken.

Garlic-and-Chile-Pepper Rice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup uncooked brown or basmati rice

2½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (or half broth and half water)

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño or other hot green chile

Saffron Rice

¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup uncooked basmati rice

2 whole cloves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cinnamon stick

1 slice (about ¼-inch) ginger

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Chicken

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium onions, cut into ½-inch chunks (about 2 cups)

2 to 3 carrots, cut into ½-inch chunks (about 1 cup)

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs, fat trimmed, cut into 1-to 2-inch pieces

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon Madras-style curry powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste (if you like it very hot)

¹
/
₈
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups whole-milk yogurt

¼ cup golden raisins

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Toppings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup thinly sliced onion rings

½ cup chopped salted dry-roasted cashews or peanuts

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

¼ cup coarsely chopped mint

Mango chutney (store-bought)

• 1.
  For the garlic-and-chile-pepper rice:
  Melt the butter in a large wide saucepan or deep skillet. Add the garlic; cook over low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the rice just to coat. Add the broth; heat to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes; the rice should be slightly undercooked. Set aside, uncovered. Just before using, add the jalepeño to the rice and toss with a fork to blend.
  
• 2.
  Meanwhile, for the saffron rice:
  Toast the saffron in a small dry skillet over low heat for 20 seconds. Add ½ cup boiling water; cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
  
• 3.
  Melt the butter in a large wide saucepan or deep skillet. Add the rice, cloves, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric; heat, stirring, until the rice is coated with spices. Add 1½ cups water and the saffron water; heat to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes; the rice should be slightly undercooked. Uncover and let stand, off the heat.
  
• 4.
  For the chicken:
  Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet until the foam subsides; add the onions and carrots; cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until the edges are browned and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
  
• 5.
  Add the chicken; cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add the curry, cumin, ginger, salt, cayenne, and black pepper; cook over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, just to release the flavors of the spices and coat the chicken and vegetables evenly. Off the heat, stir in the yogurt and raisins until blended.
  
• 6.
  Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  
• 7.
  Select a shallow baking/serving dish about 13 × 9 inches. Spread half of the chile pepper rice in a shallow layer in one side of the baking dish. Spread half of the saffron rice on the other side. Spoon the chicken and yogurt mixture in an even layer on top of the rice. Spoon the remaining rice, half of the chile rice down one side and the saffron down the other, on top of the chicken. Drizzle with the broth.
  
• 8.
  Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until steaming hot.
  
• 9.
  Meanwhile, for the onion rings:
  Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a piece of the onion. Add the onions and fry until dark brown, about 6 minutes. Lift from the oil with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
  
• 10.
  Sprinkle the top of the biriyani with the cashews, cilantro, mint, and onion rings. Serve the chutney on the side.