600 g (1 lb 5 oz) basmati rice, washed
and drained
4 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp cooking oil
100 g (3½ oz) dried barberries or raisins,
rinsed and soaked for 2–3 minutes
2 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp ground saffron
1 large potato, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Put rice and salt in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover, stir through
and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Fry barberries with
sugar and 1 tsp saffron for 1–2 minutes or until sugar has melted. Remove
from heat and set aside. If using raisins, do as for barberries but omit sugar.
Cook rice as described on pg 82: first parboiling, then drying out in a
potato-lined pot until light and fluffy.
Stir remaining saffron in 2 Tbsp hot water, then mix with 4–5 Tbsp
cooked rice until evenly dyed and set aside. Transfer remaining rice
to a serving plate.
Spoon dyed rice over plain rice, creating desired patterns, and garnish
as desired with barberries or raisins.
Pour butter over rice evenly before serving with potato slices, or tadig,
on the side.
Lightly fry barberries with
2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp ground
saffron until sugar has melted.
If barberries are unavailable,
substitute with raisins but omit
the sugar.
Create a saffron solution by
stirring 2 tsp saffron in 2 Tbsp
hot water, then mix in 4–5 Tbsp
cooked rice to dye the grains a
beautiful orangy-yellow.
There are no rules for arranging
the dyed rice, so be creative!
Without the barberries, this can
also be a quick way to decorate
plain rice.
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