Eggplant Tachin with Barberries (Persian Crispy Rice Casserole)

A rice casserole dish filled with bright yellow rice and eggplant that has been cut in half and baked until crispy and brown.

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Eggplant Tachin with Barberries (Persian Crispy Rice Casserole)

This Eggplant Tachin has a crispy saffron rice layered with tender eggplant and punctuated by tart barberries that burst with brightness.

Prep Time45

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 55

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Persian

Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 592kcal

Author: Candice Walker

Equipment

Glass or ceramic baking dish glass preferred, see notes on baking dish sizes.

Ingredients

Rice

2 cups basmati rice 500 grams
3 tbsp salt
1 tsp saffron ground and bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water or over ice
water
¾ cup plain yogurt or greek yogurt, 250 grams
2 egg yolks
salt to taste, I use approx. 3/4-tsp sea salt or table salt
2 tbsp canola oil or other flavorless oil

Fillings

5 Japanese eggplants sliced in half lengthwise
8 tbsp canola oil divided, or other flavorless oil
1 yellow onion diced or thinly sliced
½ tsp ground turmeric
salt to taste
½ cup dried barberries washed in warm water, then dried well
2 tsp sugar can use less and up to 2 tablespoons depending on your sweetness preference

Instructions

Prepare the Fillings

Eggplant: Add 1/4 cup of canola oil to a large pot or pan* and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the eggplants skin side down, and season with salt. Cook until blistered and very tender, flipping halfway through, ~8 minutes per batch. Set aside on paper towels or paper bags. You should wash the pan before the cooking the onion.
5 Japanese eggplants
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.
Barberries & Onion: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook beyond the point where it is translucent. Let it brown. You want it to be caramelized. This takes about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it and stir every couple minutes. Add the turmeric, plumped barberries, and sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes until plump, stirring constantly, and careful not to burn them. When done, remove from the pan and set aside.
1 yellow onion, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 cup dried barberries, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp saffron

Prepare the rice

If you are good at multi-tasking, you can do the following while the onions are cooking:
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 you 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 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.
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.
Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in the middle of the oven.
2 cups basmati rice, 3 tbsp salt, water
In a medium to large bowl, mix together the par-boiled rice, yogurt, egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of oil, salt, and steeped saffron.
3/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 egg yolks, salt, 2 tbsp canola oil

Eggplant Tachin

Add half of the rice mixture to a casserole dish, ideally something you can see through. Gently press it down using the back of a spoon.
Add the fried onions and barberries in an even layer.
Add the eggplant in an even layer.
Top with the rest of the rice mixture and gently press it down using the back of a spoon.
Bake for 25 minutes, cover with foil, then bake for another 1.25-1.75 hours until the edges are brown and crisp. The wider the pan, the less time it needs. If you used a glass baking dish, you can look at the bottom to make sure it has properly browned and crisped.
Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, uncovered, then carefully and with oven mitts, flip the tahdig onto a serving dish.

Notes

Ideally, use a 7"x10" casserole dish and something you can see through. You can also use a rectangle up to 9"x13", a 9"x 9" square or 9" or 10" round pan. Cooking times will vary depending on your dish size and oven.

* Add more oil if the bottom of the pan isn’t coated with oil. Handle in batches so the eggplant makes contact with the oil.

Note on servings: serves 8 as a side dish, 4 large servings as a main dish.

Nutrition