Gluten-free Persian saffron yoghurt rice with barberries and pistachios

Gluten-free Persian saffron yoghurt rice with barberries and pistachios: fragrant basmati rice with saffron, creamy yoghurt and a crispy crust.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 40 min
• Total time: 50 min
• Calories: 380 kcal per serving
• Protein: 10 g
• Fat: 10 g
• Carbs: 62 g

Ingredients

• 300 g basmati rice
• 200 g full-fat yoghurt
• 30 g dried barberries
• 30 g pistachios (shelled)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch of saffron threads (about 0.5g)
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · sieve

1. Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly until the water runs clear, then soak it in salted water. Crush the saffron and steep it in hot water, and soak the barberries briefly in warm water.
2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and parboil the soaked rice just briefly, until it's soft on the outside but still slightly firm inside. Drain and let it steam dry for a moment.
3. Stir some of the parboiled rice with the yoghurt and a little saffron water. This mixture later forms the typical tahdig crust.
4. Melt the butter and olive oil in the pan, spread the yoghurt and rice mixture over the base and press it down lightly. Loosely pile the rest of the rice on top, poke in a few steam holes and drizzle over the remaining saffron water.
5. Wrap the lid in a clean tea towel and cook the rice gently over a very low heat until a golden crust forms and the rice is cooked through.
6. To serve, let the pan rest briefly, then turn the rice out. Sprinkle with the barberries and pistachios and bring to the table warm.

Good to know

This dish is all about contrasts: tender, crisp, fragrant. When the rice comes out of the pan golden brown, it's a little kitchen moment every time.

Swaps

Butter → ghee (only traces of lactose, good for high heat); yoghurt → Greek yoghurt made from sheep's or cow's milk (more protein per serving); pistachios → almonds (more vitamin E and fibre); barberries → pomegranate seeds (more vitamin C and polyphenols, but juicy rather than tart and dry)

Allergens

Contains milk and tree nuts (pistachios); usually fine for children if the barberries are soft, and generally fine in pregnancy with pasteurised yoghurt and properly stored nuts.

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