By Candice Walker on April 24, 2023 (Last updated April 24, 2023) This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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Tahdig is the amazing result of cooking rice over a long period with oil at the bottom of the pot. If you know how to hone the variables (and the stars are aligned 😉) you get a perfect crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the pot.
Tahdig is notoriously temperamental, but if you follow this recipe, your tahdig will be perfect every time.
Tahdig is made of steamed rice and is a side dish. Tahchin is a full meal with other ingredients such as proteins or vegetables layered with rice. You can make a tahchin out of dishes like albaloo polo bah morg.
🌟Why this recipe works
It actually works! Tahdig is notorious for not always coming out. If you follow the instructions in this recipe from equipment to all the steps, it will come out every time.
Right quantity. The amount of rice you use matters. This recipe calls for a minimum of 2 cups of dry rice (preferably 3) so there is enough weight in the pot to create a solid layer of tahdig.
Reliable equipment. This recipe calls for a non-stick pot. Dutch ovens, enameled cast-iron pans, and stainless steel pots do not work when making tahdig, not even if you use more oil as other recipes suggest. This will ensure that your tahdig is released from the pot or pan for serving.
Even heat. The pot or pan needs to be heated evenly. This recipe explains how to do that no matter what kind of burner you are using.
Versatile. This recipe can be used on all Persian rice dishes like Adas Polo and Baghali Polo.
Why this recipe is dairy-free
Tahdig is traditionally dairy-free, as it doesn’t have any dairy products in its original version. However, some modern variations of tahdig may include dairy-based ingredients such as yogurt or sour cream as a garnish or even butter in the recipe.
Flavorless oil – Vegetable or canola oil work well due to their smoke point, and because they are flavorless.
Saffron (optional) – You can buy either ground or whole saffron and grind it yourself. Saffron can be expensive, so it’s used sparingly.
Salt – You can use sea salt or table salt. Use whatever you would use to season your pasta water.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🫕The right pot or pan to use
Some recipes out there say you can use any pot or pan as long as it is well-oiled. That is just not true. If you want a tahdig that comes out every time, use a non-stick pan or pot.
Choosing a pot or pan depends on a few things:
Do you have a lid? You will need a lid that fits the pot or pan you are using. It doesn’t have to make a good seal, but it should be about the same diameter.
How much rice are you making? The pot or pan you use needs to fit the rice. I am able to fit 3 cups of rice in my 10″ non-stick fry pan.
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
We will start by washing the rice and getting the saffron steeping. Then, we parboil and steam the rice with plenty of oil to get that crispy bottom.
Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Fill the bowl with cold water and let the rice soak until the next two steps are done.
In the meantime, prepare your saffron. Grind it using a mortar and pestle, then steep it in 2 tablespoons of hot water, or put a few cubes of ice on it. Set aside.
⭐️Pro Tip
This recipe works with 2-8 cups of dry rice, but it depends on our pot size I can make this recipe with as little as 3 cups in a 10-inch diameter pan. Ideally, you would have no less than an inch and a half of rice in the pot once it’s cooked, preferably more.
Bring about ⅔ a pot water of water to boil. Add 3 tablespoons of salt.
Drain the water out of the bowl of rice, you can use a fine-mesh colander or sieve.
Add the rice to the boiling water, and cook, like pasta, until al-dente, 5-10 minutes. Stir while it’s cooking so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot (photo 5).
Drain the rice and gently rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Taste it for salt. If it’s too salty, give it another good rinse with cold water (photo 6).
Grab your non-stick pot or pan. If it’s the same pot you used to parboil the rice, make sure it is clean. Heat it over medium, add 3 tablespoons of oil, half the steeped saffron, and stir to mix (photo 7).
Top with the drained rice, and form it into a pyramid. Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, then put the lid on. Cook on medium heat, watching it carefully (photo 8).
When the lid gets foggy, for ~5 minutes, pour the rest of the oil, 3 tablespoons, around the edges and over the rice. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the top of the rice. Cover with a lid wrapped in a kitchen towel and lower the heat to medium-low.
STEP 10: Steam for 45-60 minutes until the tahdig is golden and crispy.
⭐️Pro Tip
If you are using a small burner or a gas burner, you’ll want to rotate the pot every 10-15 minutes to make sure it is browning evenly.
STEP 11. Remove the excess rice from the top of the pot (the part that is domed) and mix in the rest of the (optional) saffron water. You can use a fork to fluff it into a few spoonfuls first, then the rest. Set it aside.
STEP 12. Carefully and with oven mitts, flip the tahdig onto a serving dish.
⭐️Pro Tip
If you’re using an old non-stick pan that isn’t as effective anymore, you may need help getting the tahdig to release from the pot. You can either run cold water on the outside of the pot or place the pot on a cold, wet kitchen towel to help you.
🍚More Persian rice you can turn into tahdig
You can turn either of these rice dishes into tahdig by using the directions in this recipe. Just make sure to use at least 2 cups of rice, preferably 3, and up to 8.
3cupsbasmati riceyou can use 2-8 cups, depending on your pot or pan, see notes
3tbspsalt
6tablespoonsoilflavorless, like vegetable or canola
1pinchsaffronground and bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water or over ice
Instructions
Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. This takes 3-6 times. Fill the bowl with cold water and let the rice soak until the next step two steps are done.
In the meantime, prepare your saffron. Grind it using a mortar and pestle, then steep it in 2 tablespoons of hot water, or put a few cubes of ice on it. Set aside.
Bring about ⅔ a pot water of water to boil. Add 3 tablespoon salt.
Drain the water out of the bowl of rice, you can use a fine-mesh collander or sieve.
Add the rice to the boiling water, and cook, like pasta, until al-dente, 5-10 minutes. Stir while it's cooking so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Drain the rice and gently rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Taste it for salt. If it's too salty, give it another good rinse with cold water.
Grab your non-stick pot or pan. If it's the same pot you used to par boil the rice, make sure it is clean. Heat it over medium, add 3 tablespoons of oil, half the steeped saffron, and stir to mix.
Top with the drained rice, and form it into a pyramid. Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, then put the lid on. Cook on medium heat, watching it carefully.
When the lid gets foggy, ~5 minutes, pour the rest of the oil, 3 tablespoons, around the edges and over the rice. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the top of the rice. Cover with a lid wrapped in a kitchen towl and lower the heat to medium low*.
Steam for 45-60 minutes until the tahdig is golden and crispy.
Remove the excess rice from the top of the pot (the part that is domed) and mix in the rest of the saffron water. You can use a fork to fluff it in. Set it aside.
Carefully and with oven mitts, flip the tahdig onto a serving dish.**
Video
Notes
This recipe works with 2-8 cups of dry rice, but it depends on our pot size I can make this recipe with as little as 3 cups in a 10-inch diameter pan. Ideally, you would have no less than an inch and a half of rice, preferably more.* If you are using a small burner, or a gas burner, you’ll want to rotate the pot every 10-15 minutes to make sure it is browning evenly.** If you’re using an old non-stick pan that isn’t as great of a non-stick, you might need some help getting the tahdig to release from the pot. You can either run cold water on the outside of the pot, or place the pot on a cold, wet kitchen towel.
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.
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3 Comments
I have to admit that I have been super hesitant to try making Tahdig because well, I was pretty sure it would turn out to be a disaster. A friend sent me your recipe and all your tips were so helpful that I even surprised myself and the fam when it turned out delicious and crispy. I only wish I had a 4 ft wide pot so I could make even more crispy goodness in a batch. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much you’d love to make a huge pot of it, Laurie… thank you for taking the time to share! Note that if you do end up using a bigger pot, you’ll need to make more rice for it to work… but it does work in bigger batches… my family makes it in pretty big non-stick pots when we have family over. Enjoy!
I have to admit that I have been super hesitant to try making Tahdig because well, I was pretty sure it would turn out to be a disaster. A friend sent me your recipe and all your tips were so helpful that I even surprised myself and the fam when it turned out delicious and crispy. I only wish I had a 4 ft wide pot so I could make even more crispy goodness in a batch. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much you’d love to make a huge pot of it, Laurie… thank you for taking the time to share! Note that if you do end up using a bigger pot, you’ll need to make more rice for it to work… but it does work in bigger batches… my family makes it in pretty big non-stick pots when we have family over. Enjoy!