Yes, making this rice is a time commitment and a labor of love. But the ingredients aren't difficult to find, and the finished dish is stunning.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate, let cool, then coarsely chop. Spread almonds on the same baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 5-8 minutes; let cool. Set nuts aside.
Step 2
Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Cook rice in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until grains have lengthened but are still firm, 6-7 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water. Spread rice on another rimmed baking sheet; let cool.
Step 3
Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, remove zest from orange and thinly slice lengthwise (reserve flesh for another use). Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add orange zest and carrots, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 15-20 minutes; drain and set aside (discard syrup).
Step 4
Combine barberries and raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let soak 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Place saffron in another small bowl and add 1/4 cup hot water; set aside.
Step 5
Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add cardamom, cumin, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon saffron mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 6
Reduce heat to low, add barberries and raisins, and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved nuts and orange zest and carrot mixture; season with salt. Set fruit and nut mixture aside.
Step 7
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add half of rice, spreading evenly; top with fruit and nut mixture, then remaining rice, spreading evenly. Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke 5-6 holes in rice all the way through to bottom of pot (to help release steam and help rice cook evenly).
Step 8
Drizzle remaining saffron mixture over rice. Place a clean kitchen towel over pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and secure loose edges of towel on top of lid, using a rubber band or masking tape.
Step 9
Cook until pot begins to steam, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to very low and cook, without stirring, until rice is tender and bottom layer of rice is browned and crisp, 30-40 minutes.
Step 10
Scoop rice into a wide serving bowl, breaking bottom crust into pieces.
Step 11
DO AHEAD:Fruit and nut mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Cover fruit and nut mixture and remaining saffron mixture separately and chill.
Leave a Review
Reviews (9)
Back to TopMade this as part of a dinner party menu. It was a big hit and I will certainly make this again. I used cashews instead of Pistachios, as they are not too easy to find in my small town, it still tasted great though.
Mervyn
Somerset West South Africa
10/8/2021
I made this for Christmas eve dinner to have with Tikka Masala that my daughter made. It was SO good. I substituted raisins for the berries (in retrospect I should have used currants but it was still awesome). The recipe was a lot of work -- I'm not gonna lie and more than once I wondered what I'd gotten myself into. But it was more than worth it. I'll definitely be making this again.
vickums9684
Anchorage, AK
12/27/2018
This recipe was fantastic. I was actually very intimidated by it, but once things got going it was a breeze. As previous reviews have stated, this recipe takes a lot of time! It's completely worth all the time and effort though. I followed the recipe to a T using an enamel coated cast iron skillet and it came out perfect. Crunchy bottom and all! To most, this may be a silly no brainer but I wasnt completely clear on boiling the rice. I wasn't sure if you brought the water to a boil first and then added the rice or if you were supposed to put water and rice in a pot and then bring it to boil. I ended up going with the latter of the two and it worked out perfectly. Makes me wonder if confusion on that step was why a previous reviewer said their rice wasn't done. I hope my review helps and I hope if you are thinking about trying this recipe, you do! You won't be sorry. The flavors are unique and I really enjoyed sharing this dish with my family.
Stewsy_q
USA
11/11/2016
这个感觉异国即使是相对比较普遍edients. I did not have the berries, so I added dry currants which did the trick. I also am not a fan of basmati rice, so I swapped for jasmine rice and it was a good dish. The recipe is very involved, so I only recommend it if you have plenty of time and different kinds of pots and containers to set aside and separate all the ingredients before the final step. It is a special occasion dish. It was very well received by my guests and my 3 year old who called it "rainbow rice".
lettuce77
8/8/2016
Very Good! Boiling the rice 6-7 mins first and preparing nut, fruit, and carrot mixtures makes preparing this recipe much easier. Family loved it! I will make it again.
duganmr54
Maryland
4/22/2014
Wonderful recipe! It takes a bit of time to come together, but every step is clearly explained and simple. It is key to precook the rice for 6-7min at the start and very important to create a tight lid with a good towel in the last step to steam the rice until done. It took about 30min for me on very low heat. The crusty bottom was perfect and added a little crunch to the dish. A huge hit with everyone at the table and a recipe to keep for special occasion.
cbraun68
Boston, MA
3/23/2014
Really delicious rice dish. I utilized only about one-third of the orange rind and used cranberries and golden raisins. The rice cooked up perfectly for me using the prescribed method.
carr0414
1/27/2014
Sarahlouise313-hope you remembered to cook the rice first for 6-7 minutes. I am making this now and the rice is still firm but cooked through before I assemble. will add full review when finished.
mecinibulk
Bellbrook, OH
6/29/2013
The ingredients in this dish are great, and the fruit-and-nut mixture is delicious (though slightly overwhelmed by the orange-peel flavor). But the prescribed method just does not cook the rice! I followed the recipe precisely, and more than an hour after layering the components in the pan and affixing the towel to the lid as instructed, the rice was still crunchy and raw. In desperation, I began adding water a quarter-cup at a time to actually steam the rice, and after half an hour or so I had an edible dish (though the rice was still chewier than I'd have liked - but by then it was midnight, and my patient husband and I needed to eat!). But, of course, steaming in this way meant the promised crust on the bottom never materialized. I love the idea of the dish - and, again, the flavors were good (with the caveat that I'd definitely use less orange rind next time). But I'll look for another recipe. This one just doesn't work.
sarahlouise313
New York, NY
6/28/2013
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