This post is a tutorial for preparing several variations of steamed Persian rice, as well as the recipes and techniques for different types of crispy crust at the bottom of the rice, or “Tahdig,” that is the best part of any pot of rice!
Please scroll down for Damkesh order information.
Rice is “Polo” in Farsi, and it is the most important component of some Persian dishes; specifically all of the khoresh ‘stews’ and some of the kabobs. The standard white rice can be served with almost any khoresh, but not every khoresh may be served with the mixed rices. The cooking technique for all types of rice starts the same way as the white rice. Then depending on the recipe, the white rice is mixed with dried fruits, nuts, herbs or vegetables. These ingredients are added either after the steaming process is finished or at the parboiled stage of the rice, depending on the recipe.
Lavash TahDig under Green Fava Bean Rice
No matter what kind of rice is made, it usually has some type of TahDig, meaning “bottom of the pot.” TahDig is a crispy crust at the bottom of the rice, that can be a layer of thin Lavash bread (may substitute flour tortilla), or a mixture of rice, yogurt and saffron; yet another option is thin slices of peeled potatoes. TahDig turns a beautiful golden brown color and is crispy and delicious. TahDig is thought to be the best part of the rice among Persians and Persian food lovers everywhere.
Persian steamed rice is usually made using white Basmati rice that is a type of long grain rice. The grains hold their shape better during the steaming process and don’t stick together. This results in a fluffy steamed rice with long grains. I will be talking about the cooking technique for white rice for right now but will be sharing the recipes for other types of rice in the future posts.
The technique is the same if you want to make 2 cups of rice (I would not recommend using any less) or 6 cups of rice.
Measure the dry rice into a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and move the rice around with your fingertips in the water several times.
Drain the water and fill the bowl with fresh cold water again. Repeat this 1-2 more times, until the water looks cleaner. It will never be completely clear; the cloudiness is due to the starch.
First par-cook the rice: Fill a 6-Qt stockpot up to 2 inches from the top. You will need to allow room for the rice that you will be adding. Bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add ¼ cup salt (most of this salt will be rinsed off later, but the saltwater is needed to properly flavor the rice) and the drained rice to the pot. Bring the water to another boil and gently stir with a large slotted spoon or spatula, a couple of times, to make sure the grains are not clumping together.
Continue to boil over medium high heat. Watch the rice carefully, it tends to foam up and overflow. You may reduce the heat only a little bit but will need to maintain a continuous boil.
Check one of the grains after 7-10 minutes (this time might vary for different brands of rice). The par-cooked rice should be soft around the edges while still firm (not crunchy) in the center
Pour the rice into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process, and to wash off the excess salt.
NOTE: All the variations of mixed steamed Persian rice have the same process up to this point. The ingredients for the mixed rice recipes are layered into the par-cooked rice after this point.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF TAHDIG:
To make the Lavash TahDig, heat the oils over medium high until it just starts to sizzle. Remove the pot from heat and arrange several pieces of Lavash to cover the bottom of the pot in a single layer, some overlaying is okay.
Transfer the rice carefully with a slotted spoon or spatula to the pot and cover the bread pieces and gradually decrease the area as you continue adding more rice, so once all the rice is transferred to the pot, it resembles a pyramid.
Sprinkle the very top with a pinch of optional ground saffron powder for a touch of color and aroma.
{NOTE}: Make-ahead Tip: You may cook the rice up to this point in the morning, or several hours before the time that you’re planning to serve it. Cover the lid with damkesh and cover the pot. Heat the pot over medium low heat for 4-5 minutes, then turn the heat off. Move the damkesh-covered lid aside a little bit to leave some room for steam to escape. Leave the pot like this at room temperature, until you’re ready to serve it; at which point you will follow the instructions below to complete the steaming process. This is very convenient and I do it when I want to get the rice done and save some time later when preparing the rest of the dinner.
Cover the lid with a Damkesh or a kitchen towel and steam over medium low heat for 45 minutes to one hour, or until steam rises, and the rice grains are tender through. Use a fork to carefully lift the edge of the bread a little bit; the TahDig should be ready with a light golden brown color at this point. One word of advice: Don’t get discouraged if your TahDig is not perfect the first time. Trust me all of us have been there, just keep trying until you are happy with it!!
You may order your handmade Damkesh. Please see the ordering info at the bottom of this page, after the printable recipe.
This is a heat diffuser that works very well for the gas range tops when making TahDig; it keeps the TahDig uniformly golden. Simply put it on the burner and place the pot over it and proceed with cooking as normal.
To make the Yogurt & Saffron TahDig, mix yogurt and a pinch of optional ground saffron powder. Stir in one cup of the cooked rice. Heat the oils in the pan, layer with yogurt mixture and top with the rest of the cooked rice and follow the directions as above.
(Yogurt & Saffron TahDig under white rice)
THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
*Nonstick stockpot (with lid) works best for making a good TahDig and you won’t have to worry about losing some of your TahDig due to sticking to the pot. Avoid expensive heavy bottomed pots with tight lids that are meant to keep the moisture in the food, such as Dutch ovens; the rice steamed in these pots will be mushy with a soft tahdig. Select the pot size according to the number of cups of dry rice that you intend to steam. For example a 3-Qt pot is the right size for 2 cups of dry rice, which serves 3-4 people, and a 6-Qt pot is the right size for steaming up to 5 cups of dry rice.
*Fine mesh sieve or colander so the cooked grains won’t pass through when you rinse the par boiled rice.
*Large kitchen towel to wrap around the lid to catch the rising steam. The other option is a damkesh that is traditionally used for this purpose.
THE INGREDIENTS FOR white RICE (6-Qt nonstick stockpot)
3 cups uncooked Basmati rice (pick through carefully for any debris)
¼ cup salt (the water needs to be well salted)
About 12 cups of cold water
Optional dash of saffron, sprinkled on top of the rice
UPDATE: Sometimes I substitute 1 cup of fragrant Jasmine rice for 1 cup of Basmati in the above recipe for an added aroma.
FOR LAVASH TAHDIG (6-Qt nonstick stockpot)
Several pieces of Lavash to cover the bottom of the pot in a single layer, or one 8-inch flour tortilla cut into 6 wedges.
3 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP butter, or ghee
FOR YOGURT & SAFFRON TAHDIG (6-Qt nonstick stockpot)
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
Dash of saffron (optional)
1 cup of the drained parboiled rice
3 TBSP vegetable oil
2 TBSP butter, or ghee
INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ADVIEH POLO – AROMATIC PERSIAN RICE:
Enough cold water to fill a 6-Qt stockpot up to 2 inches from the top
¼ cup salt
2 ½ cups uncooked Basmati rice
1 ½ tsp Persian Rice Spice blend
Pinch of optional saffron
Follow the instructions above for the white steamed rice up to where the parboiled rice is drained and rinsed. Choose the type of Tahdig you want to make and then proceed with the instructions below:
Add 1/3 of the par-cooked rice, and sprinkle 1/2 tsp Persian Rice Spice evenly on top.
Then add 1/2 of the remaining rice and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp rice spice. Repeat one more time with the remaining rice and spice blend. Sprinkle the optional saffron on top. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel or Damkesh. Steam the rice over medium low heat for 45 minutes or an hour until steam rises and the Tahdig is golden brown.
(Advieh Polo “aromatic rice”)
INGREDIENTS FOR ZERESHK POLO:
Follow the above instructions for steaming the Advieh Polo (Aromatic Rice)
1 large yellow onion, diced and fried to golden brown in 3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup zereshk (barberries), pick through, wash and rinse before use
Pinch of ground saffron powder (optional)
Optional Garnish: Sliced almonds and/or pistachios
Saute the diced onions in butter until golden brown. Reduce the heat to low, add zereshk and a pinch of saffron and saute for another minute until the zereshk plumps up.
To serve the Zereshk polo, use a spatula to transfer 1/3 of the rice to the serving platter, top with 1/3 of the zereshk/fried onion mixture and continue layering and finish the top with zereshk mixture. Sprinkle with the optional sliced almonds.
INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR BAGHALI POLO (Fava bean & dill rice)
2 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
1/4 cup salt
14-16 ounces of frozen or fresh fava beans (also called broad beans). Rinse the frozen fava beans under hot water to thaw.
1 cup chopped fresh dill or 1/3 cup dried dill
Follow the same steps as the white rice up to the point where the rice has boiled for 7-10 minutes and is firm in the center and soft around the edge. Add the thawed fava beans to the boiling water with rice. Allow to come to a boil, then drain in a colander.
Frozen or fresh green fava beans may be used for this rice
Run warm water over frozen fava beans to thaw. For the fresh fava beans remove the pod and the outer skin of the bean and separate it in half before adding it to the boiling water with rice.
Start with the Tahdig following the above instructions for Lavash or Yogurt & Saffron Tahdig, then layer the rice and fava beans with chopped dill and top with a pinch of ground saffron for color and aroma. Proceed with the instructions for steaming the rice.
This rice is served with chicken stew but it may also be served with beef or lamb.
Lavash TahDig was used with this rice.
(Crispy Potato TahDig)
INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS:
1 ½ to 2 white potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin with a chips cutter
1/16 tsp ground saffron powder
1 TBSP water
3 TBSP vegetable oil
2 TBSP butter, or ghee
A light sprinkle of kosher salt
Peel and slice the white potatoes very thin. Sprinkle the top with ground saffron powder, add 1 tablespoon water, and stir to coat all the slices.
Heat the oils until sizzling. Turn the heat off. Starting from the outer edge of the pot, arrange the saffron potato slices with each slice overlapping the previous one half way. Continue until the bottom of the pot is covered. Use a rubber spatula and scrape all the saffron and water and drizzle over the potato slices. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the par cooked rice and level the top. Cover the lid with damkesh and steam over medium low for 45 minutes, or until steam rises and the potato slices are golden and crispy. Invert to a serving platter and serve.
Steam time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Serves 5-6 people
You will need: A 6-Qt nonstick stockpot. A fine mesh colander. A slotted spatula. A damkesh (or tea towel for wrapping the lid). Optional but recommended: A heat diffuser.
- FOR RICE:
- 3 cups uncooked, long grain white Basmati rice
- ¼ cup salt (the water must be salty)
- 12 cups cold water
- Optional: A pinch of ground saffron powder
- FOR TAHDIG:
- Enough thin lavash bread (or, one 8-inch flour tortilla cut into 6-8 wedges) to cover the bottom of a 6- Qt pot (9-10 inch diameter)
- 3 TBSP vegetable oil
- 1 TBSP butter, or ghee
- Add 10-12 cups cold water to the stockpot and bring it to a boil over medium high heat
- Add ¼ cup salt to the boiling water (most of this salt will be rinsed off later, but it is needed to adequately flavor the rice)
- Add 3 cups uncooked rice to a bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and use your fingertips to move the rice around several times. Drain the water and start with fresh water and repeat this 1-2 more times.
- Add the drained rice to the boiling water. Gently stir with the slotted spatula several times to prevent the grains from sticking together.
- Bring the rice to another boil and continue boiling for 7-10 minutes. This time might vary for each brand of rice. To test for readiness, check one grain; it should be soft around the edges and firm in the center.
- Drain the rice in a colander and rinse under cold water. Allow the rice to drain completely before adding it back to the pot.
- Rinse and dry the pot. If using a heat diffuser place it over the flame, under the pot. Add the oils and heat over medium heat until very hot but not smoking.
- Arrange the lavash pieces to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the pot from heat and use the slotted spatula to gently transfer the par cooked rice to the pot and cover the entire surface of lavash, then add the rest of the rice to form a pyramid at the top.
- Sprinkle the optional pinch of ground saffron powder on top.
- Cover the lid with a damkesh (or a kitchen towel) and steam over medium low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the steam rises and the tahdig is crispy and golden brown.
Damkesh/Damkoni Orders
In response to your requests for our handmade Damkesh, these reversible lid covers are sewn to order for a fee of $40.00, including shipping in the lower 48 United States. Please mention the size when you place your order. The size (S) fits lids up to 8 inches in diameter (M) fits lids up to 10 inches, and (L) fits 12-inch lids. We use a double-thickness machine washable 100% cotton fabric that absorbs the steam that collects in the lid during the steaming process and prevents it from dripping back on the rice. We do not have an inventory of different fabrics. The pattern and color of the current fabric is shown in the picture. This picture will be updated when a different fabric is used.
When you are ready to order your Damkesh- Please email me at homa@persianmama.com with the size of damkesh, your mailing address, and an email for the Paypal payment.
For your convenience, I have made arrangements for payments through Paypal. Once your email has been processed, you will be getting a notification from Paypal. If you have a Paypal account you will be able to pay through that, otherwise you may “Pay as guest.”
You will receive an email with the expected delivery date, and a tracking number once your damkesh has been shipped.
Perfect post on how to make Persian steamed rice with tah-dig. Easy to follow tutorial with variety of choices for tah-dig is superb. 🙂
Thank you dear Fae! I have had these instructions on the “How To” section of my blog, and I felt that for the sake of easier access and better visibility by my readers I should add it to my recipes as well.
Wow!! This is a great tutorial. I have persian style rice dishes on my list of things to try making… but haven’t gotten the confidence to try yet. This is making me want to try though.
Your recipes and tutorials are always so perfect. So many have become household staples for us!!
Hello Maria, glad to hear that. You will find the ins and outs of Persian rice and a variety of popular tahdig recipes here. Enjoy!
I wNted to subscribe, is if free??
Yes it is free
Hi, just made & tried your yogurt tahdig served with carrot & prune Khoreshteh (Oromeyeh/Rezayeh) style & I must say it is very yummy. Next will be trying your potato tahdig, as I long for the taste of it. Thank you so much for posting all this fantastic recipes.
Hello Ferryal; I’m glad you liked it and I know you will love the potato tahdig. So how is the Rezayeh style carrot and prune khoresh different from the Tabrizi one the I make? I’m very interested in the regional cuisines that make up our rich Iranian cuisine! Thank you for writing to me 🙂
Hi, this is great. Their you.
I am not sure about one thing.
For the potatoe recipe, is the rice flat in the pot when added over the potatoes or pyramid shaped as in the other recipes?
Thank you
Tracy.
Great to hear from you dear Tracy! The rice is steamed in a pyramid shape. When the rice is ready, use a spatula to transfer the steamed rice to the serving platter. The entire tahdig can be inverted onto another plate, or released from the pot in sections with a flexible spatula. Enjoy and please keep in touch!
Homa, glad to have found your blog. I loved the detail explanation you provided in this post! Pinning to try later. Join our pinterest board if you like! https://www.pinterest.com/hadiascuisine/yummy-and-more/
Dear Hadia, welcome to my blog! Thank you for the invitation; just joined your board 🙂
Dear Homa it’s really a unique blog you have here. I have been looking for some more detailed Iranian recipes. Especially recipes from Tabriz. Thanks for the inspiration.
Love Mahsa
Thank you Hada, tried my first Tahdig, used to live in Iran in 70’s loved it. LOve your blog. I am new so sorry if you answered this where can I buy some of the saffron and other Iranian type spices. Online I live in New Mexico.
Thank you for your beautiful site. Made me very happy.
Hello Gisela; So happy to have you here and I’m truly delighted to hear that you like what you see. I believe you will find many of your favorite Persian recipes here.
*My blog post about spices will help you decide what you need: https://persianmama.com/all-about-spices-2/
*This post is about the herbs used in Persian cooking: https://persianmama.com/all-about-herbs/
*You will be able to find the spices and most of the herbs (in dried form) online here: http://www.sadaf.com/herbs-spices/ they have several pages, so please search all of them for what you may need.
*You will also be able to order your saffron from Sadaf: http://www.sadaf.com/search/?q=saffron (I have used the Saharkhiz saffron, which I get from Iran).
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thank you Homa I am looking into it. My first attempt the tahdig did not make a good crust it was crispy but loose. I am attempting a second time with the stove a bit higher. Very anxious about burning it. coz lordy I used three cups of rice this time. The motherload and my husband is away. Hee hee. I shall now have time to look at all these links while my rice steams. Bless you beautiful lady for taking such an interest in us novices. I read your post about the wedding and it sounds so delightful and I love the worm issue. hee hee. You are such a lovely person. I look forward to getting to know your blog and you better. Have a lovely weekend
Dear Gisela; thank you so much, you’re very kind! I hope that the posts are helpful and you will fill up your pantry with all that is needed for your future kitchen adventures 😉
I hope your second tahdig turned out how you wanted, but practice is the key to making awesome tahdigs. Are you making the crunchy plain rice tahdig? I’m glad you enjoyed the wedding post; we had so much fun that all the hard work is a distant memory, but we will always remember that magical night 🙂 Have a wonderful Sunday.
Hi Homa,
Yes I am making the plain Tahdig.
My husband loves it and I have had success with the crust. I bought some zereschk and am going to try that recipe soon. The rice spice is lovely and a touch of safron just completes this whole fragrant dish.
I made South African Bobotie today and instead of tumeric rice couldnt bring myself not to make Iranian rice. They go beautifully together. I saw you have a guacamole recipe. Looks yummy living in New Mexico is a bonus for mexican style food. Hope you are warming up over there. Today is beautiful 83 degrees here.
Dear Homa,
I can’t contain my excitement. I received the beautifully crafted Damkesh you made for me.
Then I made Adas Polow and was delighted that the rice was perfectly fluffy and not remotely soggy and the Tahdig was golden brown and deliciously crispy. Your directions coupled with the magic Damkesh are turning me into a halfway decent Persian cook overnight. Thank you soooo much!
Dear Cammie, I truly appreciate your comment; the pleasure is all mine! I’m happy to hear that your rice and tahdig turned out the way you wanted.
It is wonderful to hear that you’re happy with the damkesh; I use mine all the time and love it too 😉 Please keep in touch and have a great day!
I fell in love with Shirin Polo rice when a good friend of mine mother showed me how to make it. She melted butter in the pot and then poured some of it off and then placed the sliced potatoes on the bottom and then added the rice in layers drizzling the remaining butter over the layers. I was wondering if I didn’t use the potatoes on the bottom and only butter would the rice still cook the same way with out the rice turning crispy on the bottom?
Hi Mike; you could leave the potatoes out. However, the bottom layer will turn into crispy rice during the steaming process!
Trying to subscribe. Telling me to use valid email which I am using.
Dear Milda, thanks so much for your interest; I just sent you an email.
Your perfect. Brilliantly written. Would you mind writing about how to cook brown rice?
Niloufar jan; thanks so much for your supportive words my dear! I will do my best to post it very soon.
Dear Homa, we LOVE the beautiful damkesh you made! It worked perfectly when we made rice for the first time since receiving it, and it’s now our new favorite kitchen addition. I highly recommend it to anyone making Persian style rice. I’m glad we’ll no longer have to deal with trying to secure a tea towel over the lids when making rice (and I hated using paper towels).
Khali mamnoon, khanoom jon.
Khahesh mikonam Mia jan; mamnoon az shoma! It’s really nice to hear back from someone who is now the happy owner of a damkesh that I’ve sewn 😉 It seems like I have always steamed my rice with a demkesh-covered lid, but I do remember those first few years of cooking, when I had to use tea towels; I didn’t care for them either. I hope all of your rice will be fluffy and all of your tahdig, golden and crispy 🙂
I bought the beauty style for my Russian friend ??it’s great looking
Dear Homa,
Thank you so much!! I was introduced to Persian food after visiting some friends and fell in love with it! I’m so happy to have found your website! For now I’m exploring the Tadigh but am looking forward to try the other recepies too. May God bless you!
Dear Rotem; it’s wonderful to hear from you! Thanks dear friend for your supportive words. Please keep in touch and enjoy these recipes in good health 🙂
Hello! I was just wondering what’s the difference in terms of recipe and cooking when it comes to just the tahdig with butter, saffron, and vegetable oil?
Hello Paula; the recipe is exactly the same, except for the tahdig part which you will need to heat the oil and butter in the pot and then add a cup of cooked rice and mix in some liquid saffron (to make the liquid saffron: add 1/8-1/4 tsp ground saffron powder to a cup and pour 1/8 cup boiling water over it, stir, cover, and steep for 5-10 minutes)
Hello, I have a couple of questions. Can you use liquid saffron instead of powder and if so at what part if the cooking/steaming process do you pour it on? Also, the person I learned my Persian recipes from after building the rice pyramid and poking holes in it sticks butter in the holes. Would you recommend that or adding the butter at a different stage?
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes.
I would like 2 10 inch
Dear Sandy; thanks for your damkesh order. Please send your paypal email and your mailing address to homa@persianmama.com so that we can process your orders.
Thank you for this wonderful tutorial / recipe! Although I do not have a suitable pot at the moment, my (yogurt base tahdig) rice turned out pretty well and it was extremely helpful to read about all the individual steps. I also cooked Gormeh Sabzi according to your recipe, and it was very delicious.
Dear Kat; It’s lovely to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes. Congratulations on mastering two of the most popular dishes in Persian cooking. I know this is only the beginning and you will find many more favorites! Thanks so much for your comment and please keep in touch 🙂
I made the rice with flour tortilla tahdig and saffron sprinkled over right before steaming and it was fantastic! It was my first delicious pot of Persian rice I ever cooked. For a background I have been cooking Persian food for the last 10+ years as I am half Persian. However I was a disaster with rice so I’ve been using a pars cooker since I gave up after my 20th or so pot of burnt mush. I tried every combination of video and Persian recipe blogs possible. I finally tried Persian Mama’s recipe and it was an absolute success!! I cannot wait to try the polo’s on this site! ??
Dear Leila; thanks so much for sharing your Steamed Rice experience with everyone! I know making the Persian rice can be a frustrating experience, and I’m happy that my recipe and technique has been successful for you! Your picture looks fantastic! Enjoy the other recipes on my blog and please keep in touch. Have a great weekend 🙂
Hello dearest homa. Great job I’m really proud of you ???. I always use rice from north of iran. They never stick together. I even don’t rinse the rice but it’s still nice. There are different kinds of Iranian rice but I like hashemi the best. The smell and the taste is perfect. A big hug for you from karaj
Hello to you and our beautiful Karaj Narges jan! I really appreciate your heartfelt message and I’m happy to have your support. I miss the aroma and delicious taste of our rice. Next time I’m home I’ll make sure to try Hashemi rice! Much love to you my dear; take care and please keep in touch.
Thank you for your recipes, I have made several and each time they have come out wonderful! Your instructions are easy to follow and I love the pictures! Thank you!
Hi LB, it is great to hear from you! I’m truly happy that your kitchen adventures have been successful and you’ve enjoyed my recipes. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. I’m sure everyone would love to read and learn from your experience! Please keep in touch and have a Happy New Year 🙂
Im right in the mile of making a TahDig and it’s looking great…I’m working on a Beef an Eggplant Koresh that is smelling wonderful! Thank you for the great tutorial!
It is my pleasure dear Dave! I can just imagine the aroma that has filled your kitchen right now! Enjoy your khoresh bademjan and polo with tahdig my friend. Happy weekend 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! Thanks
You’re most welcome Noha! Enjoy it dear friend. Keep in touch and let me know if you have any questions!
Hi Homa,
I will try this dish soon, but have two questions:
1) is there a brand of ghee that you recommend?
2) could I use coconut milk instead of yogurt for the saffron tahdig?
Thank you for posting such a detailed recipe! I’m excited to try it
Hi Saphir,
*I make my own ghee: https://persianmama.com/how-to-make-ghee/ and homemade is the best! I have tried Ziyad Butter Ghee, which is also very good.
*I really don’t think the coconut milk has the right consistency to make this tahdig. However, I know some people have tried plain soy yogurt.
Thanks for your comment, would love to read your feedback. Happy cooking 🙂
Hello from Vashon Island. I had a craving for fesenjun and decided that I finally needed to attempt a proper Persian rice dish to go with it. I am so glad I found your site! I followed your excellent directions for polo and chose to try the yogurt tahdig. Even though I only had greek honey yogurt, I had some beautiful saffron and so I went for it. Thanks to your wonderful instruction my rice and tahdig turned out perfectly! My partner and my daughter raved about it. I look forward to trying other recipes on your site. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hi Sabrina, glad to hear from you, welcome to my blog! Saffron really makes that tahdig glamorous, doesn’t it 🙂 I really appreciate your comment and look forward to hearing from you when you try my other recipes. Have a great weekend dear friend and keep in touch!
Thank you. I can’t wait to try this. My daughter had a baby sitter who was from Iran and she learned to love Iranian (mediterranian) food. Kabobs with tahdig was her favorite! We have long ago moved away and lost contact with Maman and Babba, but I think of this often This will be a great tribute to some of the things we learned!!!
It is my pleasure Pam! Hope you’ll try the different types of rice and tahdig in this post. you’ll also find many authentic recipes that will probably bring back many good memories. Thanks for writing to me; take care and please keep in touch 🙂
Hello thank you. I am eager to try this rice recipe. Can you tell me the simplest process to adding the cherries or cranberries? I’ve had it where they seemed like dried raisins. I guess I would like to know at what point to add them and how they are prepared. Thank you!!
Hi Jimmy, most additions to the rice are done after the initial boiling of the rice and rinsing it in the colander. Then the rice is layered with pitted fresh cherries, or cranberries and steamed. The cranberries that I have used usually plump up during the steaming process. If you wish you could briefly saute them in butter before layering. Happy cooking 🙂
هما جان از پیدا کردن سایت شما خوشحالم.
عزیزم اجاق من برقی است و شیشه ای (دی فیو زر( نمی توانم مصرف کنم شما برای درست کردن تهدیگ روی اجاق برقی پیشنهادی دارین؟ مرسی
میترا جان خیلی خوش اومدین عزیزم. اجاق های شیشه ای معمولا یک نواخت حرارت میدن و هیچی لازم ندارن. فقط باید تمرین بکنین و ببینین در چه حرارتی و برای چه مدت. ته دیگ رو بعد از مدتی که نوشتم چک کنین و اگه لازم بود چند دقیقه بیشتر روی حرارت بذارین بمونه.
I made the zereshk polo with yogurt tahdig and it worked fantastically! Thank you for the great recipe. I have never attempted anything like this to cook rice so I was amazed that it worked for a novice like me. I don’t even have the right pot and it still worked. I started with 2 cups dry rice & used my grandma’s 2-quart seasoned cast iron saucepan and it was fine. I was able to buy rice spice premixed at my local Persian market. Thank you!
Dear April, I really appreciate your feedback. It is wonderful to read that your first attempt at this rice and tahdig was a success!! This is only the beginning, there are many more recipes for you to try 😉 Have a great weekend and please keep in touch.
I do a fair amount of Indian cooking as well as Persian (and lots of other cuisines too), so make ghee with 6# of butter at a time. I am glad to see that you confirm that ghee is an authentic Persian ingredient. So I was wondering how you would feel about substituting 4T of ghee for the butter and oil for the tahdig. I would guess that with regular butter you need to mix with oil to avoid burning, but ghee doesn’t have that problem. Do you think straight ghee would be ok or do you foresee any problems?
Thanks again for all the wonderful recipes, many of which are in our “rotation.” Tonight we’re having koubideh joojeh, which I improvised from your other recipes. I grind chicken thigh three times and add lots of hung onion, garlic, a bit of saffron, salt and the secret ingredient: some of your hot meat advieh. A little egg yolk helps it stay on the sikh, It’s a nice lower-fat alternative to lamb and beef. Kashk-e-badamjan to start and mast-o-khiar with it all. Of course, grilled tomatoes too. I may try the tahdig with ghee. I’ll let you know if it’s a disaster. You see you have a convert.
Dear Martin, great to hear from you! Yes, I also have a constant supply of ghee in my pantry. I think you can use all ghee for the tahdig. Most families in Iran use ghee for all their cooking. I do however feel that the combination of oil/ghee would be lighter, but that is a personal preference. I would love to get your feedback on this once you try it.
Your menu for the evening sounds fantastic! Noosh-e jan!
Thanks so much for writing to me. Please take care and keep in touch 🙂
Thanks, Homa. I “chickened out” and used 2T ghee and 2T olive oil. This is a little more than the 1 to 3 you suggest. It worked very well, I thought, with lavash tahdig. It was rich but not overly so.
It’s interesting that the Wikipedia article on ghee mentions many countries but not Iran. Someone should correct that oversight.
Hi Martin, glad to hear that; it is a good combination. You’re right, they have not mentioned Iran, but we know better 😉 Stay safe and keep cooking dear friend
I recently made tahdig no Lavash. It came out golden but the rice was hard to eat. It was not crisp it was hard. What did I do wrong??
I need to know whose recipe you have used so I can figure out what the problem is
this sounds and looks delicious! thank you for the tips. do you still take orders for damkesh coverings?
Thank you Rose, anytime!
Yes we’re still sewing the damkesh at the request of our followers 🙂
https://persianmama.com/damkesh-damkoni-order/
Hi!!
I made the yogurt tahdig over the weekend and it was a success!! Thanks to your recipe
I was a little scared because I’ve never cooked rice before and it started breaking after I washed it, but it was great in the end.
I looks forward to trying other recipes now that I know I can
Dear Anat, I’m so happy that your rice and yogurt tahdig was a success!! Yes it only gets easier by practice! Hope you will share your experience with everyone once you try my other recipes.
Please take care of yourself and have fun cooking 🙂
My child just read a school article about traditional foods and TahDig was one he *really* wants to try (along with KababS!). Thank you for the tips and recipe…we are headed out to the store today to pick up a non-stick pot.
He can’t wait!! ;o)
It is lovely to meet a young Persian food fan! This sounds like a real fun project, enjoy it! Your future chef will find many tasty and reliable recipes on this blog 😉
Have a great weekend and keep in touch
I’m so happy to find your site! I’ve been spoiled by my persian friends and the fabulous food they make and this was my first attempt at Khoresh-e Fesenjoon and it came out great! I used about 3 cups pomegranate juice from TJ’s as I didn’t have the concentrate and it worked fine. Also added to the walnuts to thin a bit. Used browned chicken thighs, so tender. My first successful attempt at yogurt and saffron tadig and even flipped the pan to center the rice perfectly and intact on the plate. I look forward to trying more of your recipes and love the detail and pictures you provide. Thank you!
I used to eat this a lot at my friend’s family and just tried it for the first time – the tahdig comes out great in an instant pot too; the rest of the rice just turned out a tiny bit too soggy. Any advice how to prevent this next time ? Merci !
Hi Isabelle, I am happy to hear that you were able to make a great tahdig with your Instant Pot! I don’t know the process that you have used to make your rice. If you par boil the rice, boil it for couple of minutes less and see if that helps. If you have used the absorption method, use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup less water. Hope this helps you. Please take care and have a fantastic New Year 🙂
Hi Patty, it is wonderful to hear from you. Bravo on your successful first attempts for fesenjan and rice/tahdig. I hope you will try more recipes and share your comments about them. Please take care and have a fantastic New Year 🙂
I did this for the first time today. It was phenomenal. I made sabzi polo with the potato tahdig. Your directions were perfect! Thanks, Persian Mama! Can’t wait to make it again
Dear Laura, Thank you so much for writing to me! I’m delighted that your first try with rice and tahdig was phenomenal. Sabzi polo with potato tahdig sounds heavenly. Please take care and keep in touch
When you go to Persian restaurants they seem to have a ton of Tahdig. You can buy and appetizer for $5.00 with so much tahdig that it covers a whole plate. I have to imagine they are not making it the real way as you described. That would seem to take so much time and they could not sell it for so cheap. How are they making so much Tahdig? Are they just taking parboiled rice and frying it on a flat top griddle and “cheating”. I want to make a Khoresh Gheymeh and just serve with Tahdig so I will have to make a lot. Dont care so much about the rice, but just the tahdig. Can you give me some tips or pointers?
Hello and welcome! I know what you’re talking about, my guess is that the rice is steamed in very large shallow pans in the oven and they use the tahdig for their appetizers. The griddle method you’re suggesting would be cheating, but if it is tasty, is it still cheating lol!! As for cooking at home, you could use a large nonstick pan. After heating some oil in the pan, cover the bottom with a thick layer of parboiled rice, pack it down, cover the lid with a towel and cook on medium low to medium and see how you like it 🙂 Hope this works for you, as I have never tried it myself 😉
Hello. Thanks for your great blog. Do you have a link to where I can purchase your non stick pot. My mom have the same, but as I dont know the exact name, I cannot find it online to order it.
Much appreciate it
Dear Neda, the pot in the picture was purchased a while ago and unfortunately there is no brand name on it!
What I can tell you is that any lightweight 6-qt cast aluminum stockpot with food safe coating will deliver the same results. I would recommend avoiding heavy cast iron pots, as they are too heavy to flip easily, and they hold too much moisture and the rice and tahdig come out on the mushy and soft side
Good luck and happy cooking 🙂