Friday, October 15, 2010

Gluten Free Tadik(Persian Rice)

I had the good fortune of having a friend from Iran show me how to make Tadik which is a Persian method of preparing rice. It not only is delicious, but makes a nice presentation on the dinner table. The traditional method is to use lavash or other thin flat bread(tortillas work well.) Anyway, since going gluten free 2 years ago I really missed having Tadik especially when I make stoups. So after a few experiments I finally perfected(at least I think so,) a gluten free recipe for Tadik. So here it is:

2 cups Basmati Rice
about 5 cups of water
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs Butter divided
1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil(EVOO for the Rachael Fans)
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Spices(I like Cayenne, Pepper, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Ancho, etc.)

Rinse Basmati well in a large nonstick stockpot. Add 4 cups of water, salt, and 1 Tbs butter. Heat on stove at high heat until it begins to boil, turn heat down to Med-High. Keep rice on low boil and add water as needed. Allow rice to cook until just about done(5 to 10 minutes,) but should still have a little crunch. remove from heat(don't turn off stove) and pour into fine mesh strainer. Now for the fun part. Put pot back on burner and add 1 Tbs Butter, 1 Tbs EVOO, and about 2 Tbs water. When the butter is melted and mixture starts to boil, add the crushed tortilla chips, and spices. Mix well and make sure that it is evenly distributed on the bottom of the pan. Pour the rice back in the pot over the tortilla mixture, and spread around until it is even. Divide the final Tbs of butter into 3 - 4 pats and place on top of rice. Take a paper towel, place it over the top of the stockpot, and cover with lid(the towel makes a tighter seal for steaming.) After about 2 minutes the steam coming from the rice will take on a roasted aroma. When that happens turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the lid/towel and place a large plate over the top of the pot. In a swift move invert the pot so that the rice cake(Tadik) drops to the plate. This takes practice, I usually lift the pot by the handles with my thumbs and secure the plate with my other fingers. Then I flip it quickly. Remove the pot and you should have a nice looking rice cake, golden brown and crispy on top, fluffy flavorful rice bellow.


That's it, pretty simple and a great side dish for saucy meals, juicy meat dishes, or alone with a good sauce like Grilling Sensations Korean Kalbi

Enjoy, God Bless, and Keep it Saucey!!

No comments:

Post a Comment