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Functional Foods: Turmeric & Saffron Basmati Rice

Exploring the flavors and techniques in Najmieh Batmanglij’s Joon naturally led to experimentation in new ways to infuse turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties into every day cooking.  The original recipe uses saffron, not turmeric.  Saffron, however, is expensive, and turmeric can be used to complement or replace the saffron.   The flavor is different but still wonderful and the color is rich. I’ve used them together and individually.  The turmeric version is the one I use unless it’s a special occasion.   Either way, the star of this show is the tag-dig, the crunchy layer of golden rice that forms at the bottom of the pan.  Use a non-stick skillet to ensure the dish inverts into a complete, unbroken, disk.

Turmeric & Saffron Basmati Rice
My grandmother always began her rice dishes by frying a small slice of "tosino" (porkback) at the bottom of a heavy pot. A huge sizzle ensued as she poured the washed rice into the pot. Her rice was always perfect, but it was the "pegao", the layer of essentially fried rice that stuck loosely to the bottom of the pot that we all vied for. This recipe offers a version of pegao - substituting olive oil for porkfat and with the added benefits of yogurt and turmeric.
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Ingredients
  1. 3 c. white basmati rice
  2. 8 c. water
  3. 2 tblsp sea salt
  4. 1/2 c. olive oil
  5. 2 tblsp plain yogurt
  6. 1/2 tsp ground saffron and
  7. 1/4 tsp turmeric dissolved in 4 tblsp hot water
Instructions
  1. Wash the rice. Basmati rice is rather fragile, so place it in a large pot or container, fill with water, swish with your hand, rinse, and repeat 3 times. When the water is no longer cloudy, drain the rice in a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
  2. Fill a large, non-stick pot with 8 cups water, add the salt, and bring to a boil.
  3. in a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of the olive oil, all of the yogurt and 3 tblsp of the saffron/turmeric/water mixture. Set aside. You will use this for the tag-dig and the rest to sprinkle over the entire rice dish.
  4. Add the rice to the pot of water and boil briskly for 6 to 10 minutes, gently stirring twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that stick to the bottom. Once the rice rises to the top, it is done.
  5. Drain the rice in a large fine-mesh strainer, rinse with water to stop it from cooking further and set aside.
  6. In the same pot, add the larger portion of the olive oil-yogurt-spice mixture and then stir in 3 heaping spatulas of the cooked rice. Combine gently until the mixture is fairly uniform in color. Spread out evenly in the bottom of the pot. This will form the crust (tah dig, similar to pegao).
  7. Gently heap the remaining rice onto the tag dig layer. Spread evenly, leaving room around the edges for expansion.
  8. Cover the pot and cook the rice for 10 minutes over medium heat.
  9. Mix the remaining 1/4 c. olive oil with 1/4 c. water and the remaining saffron-turmeric water. Sprinkle over the rice and cover tightly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 70 minutes.
  10. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool, covered, on a damp dish towel for 5 minutes to loosen the crust.
  11. Shake the pan to ensure the rice is free from the bottom. If it needs help, gently insert a spatula to loosen the bottom.
  12. Place a serving platter over the pot, invert and serve. The rice should look almost like a cake with a golden crust.
Notes
  1. If it doesn't emerge intact, don't worry, it's still delicious!
Adapted from Joon, by Natmieh Batmanglij
Adapted from Joon, by Natmieh Batmanglij
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