Persian Style Rice (CHÉLO)

I am going to “experiment” making this style of rice during the upcoming weekend…gives me plenty of time to take my time. I remember watching my abuela make a rice simliar to this one and it was soooo good!:

Drained  and  Steamed  Method

 

Prelude:   These instruction are not a “recipe”, but rather a method of preparation that yields a separate and firm texture that is wonderful by itself as a plain rice (“chélo”) also be incorporated with many varieties of your favorite ingredients to make pilafs (“polo”). This method involves soaking, boiling, draining, rinsing, re-potting and steaming (re-cooking). It is sort of like boiling and draining pasta “al dente” and then further rinsing and cooking to perfection.   PREPARATION   WASH     the rice in lukewarm water (1 cup will yield 3/4-cups) at least 3 times until the water is clear, not cloudy. Each time stir and gently rub the rice with your palms. SOAK     the rice now in cool water for about 30-minutes to 2-hours (not overnight). Let the water stand about 1-inch above whatever amount of rice you are soaking. Mix in some salt so the water tastes slightly salty. BOIL     a large pot of water (such as a pasta pot). Add salt to this so it also tastes moderately salty. Pour the soaking rice in when your large pot comes to a rolling boil. You can dip the soaking pot directly in so all rice gets in quickly. Stir the rice immediately, gently and briefly with a perforated rice spatula. Wait until the water comes to a boil again, about 3-5 minutes, depending upon volume. Keep heat to highest and do not cover. Watch carefully the elongation and development of the grains at this point. This takes 1-3 minutes. Do Not Walk Away. Stir the rice gently and briefly but not constantly. IMPORTANT: Each variety of rice, each brand of the same variety, even different crops of the same brand will behave differently at this stage of cooking.      American extra long grain rice developes to a kind of chubby shape      Basmati rice developes into a shape more elongated and thin      Thai jasmine rice is somewhere in between. The important thing is to PIN POINT the moment the rice reaches it OPTIMUM development for the purpose of making this style of rice. This optimum point is when it is still FIRM, but not hard in the core of each grain (a moment later it will get even longer or larger, but will no longer be firm in the core). “A strong rice (which is desirable) is the one which withstands the boiling stress long enough ‘to reach its near maximum elongation without getting soft in the core’” “RICE STRENGTH INDEX” So, each time you gently stir your BOILING rice, bring some rice to the surface and visually appraise it. When you observe the rice is ALMOST long enough, then pick a few grains up with your fingers and examine it with your front teeth. As soon as you feel it is firm and not hard, that is your optimum point. STOP THE COOKING IMMEDIATELY! DUMP     the boiling rice in a large enough colander with fine perforations (already set up in your clean sink). You may also use a pasta strainer for this purpose. SPLASH plenty of cool water over your rice and gently toss the colander so you bring the hot rice that is still at the bottom, to the surface DO NOT use a narrow stream of water, such as a faucet to rinse the rice. The force of the water will break the grains. Let the rice drain well, so no water is dripping. POTTING AND STEAMING THE RICE     Your rice is now ready to be cooked to perfection in a variety of ways and for different purposes, such as:      plain rice “chélo” with saffron      Pilafs “polo, plau”: rice cooked with cooked and seasoned meats, legumes, vegetables, etc…      to stuff vegetables along with other stuffing ingredients Use a quality aluminum clad pot, large enough for your rice (i.e. about 2-inches above the rice). Your pot should also have a properly fitting lid. PREPARING BOTTOM OF POT FOR A GOURMET DELICACY     Since this method involves cooking rice in an essentially waterless pot, the heat required for this process can scorch the rice in the bottom and even make the end product unpleasantly smoked.      “Not dealing with this challenge, could have been the reason the rest of the world chose to cook their rice the other usual method” To deal with this challenge we have to control the essential factors in this process: Heat, Moisture and Time. The we will be rewarded not only with a wonderful, fluffy rice, but as a bonus, a fabulous crust in the bottom of the pot “tàh deeg” (literally: bottom of the pot). Aim a stream of unflavored vegetable oil in the center of your pot. As soon as the oil reaches the side wall, stop. This is the amount of oil you need, no matter how big your pot is. Now you can line the bottom of the pot with something you want to enjoy as the crust “tàh deeg”, such as      Slices of bread (i.e. stale white, pita, dampened flour tortilla)      Slices of raw potato, chip sed.      Slices of raw onion, cabbage, etc.      Left over rice (moisten with a few spoonfuls of water) FOR PLAIN RICE, “CHÉLO”     Using a rice spatula, pile rice to the top, forming a cone. (The cone avoids the sides of the pot and saves the rice from scorching.) FOR PILAF     Alternate rice with layer of: sprinkled herbs dry or freshly chopped dill, parsley flakes, frozen lima beans, grated, sautéed and sweetened carrots, sautéed and seasoned spinach, caramelized slivered onion, cooked chick peas, cumin seeds, curry powder and many creations of your own imagination! COVER THE POT     Put a thin kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towels over the pot and fit the lid snugly. Cook your rice starting on a medium-high flame or electric burner for about 10-15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium for another 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your rice. You will observe some wetness around the towel and upon lifting the lid you will see plenty of steam building. At this time stick a fork inside the rice cone about 1-2 inches. If the rice is cooked the fork will feel slightly sticky. If not, it will move more freely. Taste a few grains, it should taste cooked through. Sprinkle some vegetable oil evenly over and thru your rice spatula on the hot rice. You may also stick a few pats of butter over the rice. Let it cools 5-minutes, fluff the rice with a fork and dish it out with your spatula. At this time you can flavor the rice with a solution of finely ground saffron in hot water and butter. Mix this solution with a cup of plain rice. To achieve an intense saffron color, then add 2 more cups of rice to this to have a glorious array of white and golden grains. Sprinkle liberally over the rest of your rice. CELEBRATE YOUR TRIUMPH! OH, HOW ABOUT THE “TAH DEEG”?     You should be looking at a 1/2-inch crust that will come out easily with a spoon. It is a glorious golden to dark brown piece and enjoy it by itself, with homemade yogurt sauce and other sauces that you will discover when you visit Café Natasha’s Kabob International!