First off, let me tell you that both brands of rice cookers that we offer on Ebay and on our website, Imperial and Pars, have been tested and approved by the cooks in our entire family. So, yes, we use the products we sell on our site and are proud to offer only the best to our customers.
There are several ways to make Persian rice. This is one.
Now back to making this fragrant rice. I got this recipe from a cook book I have used myself and has become a best seller for Persian dishes: New Food of Life, by Najmieh Batmanglij.
Ingredients:
3 cups long-grain basmati rice
3 1/2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of salt
1/4 cup of oil (canola oil preferred)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water (stirred)
Makes 6 servings, preparation time is 10 minutes, cooking time is 1 hour 30 minutes.
1. First, you will have to clean and wash the 3 cups of rice. Pour the 3 cups of rice in a bowl and add warm water to it. Let it site for a few minutes, then rinse the water out. Repeat this 5 times.
2. Combine all of the ingredients, except the saffron water, in the rice cooker; gently stir with a wooden spoon and start the cooker. Turn the knob of your Imperial Rice Cooker or Pars Rice Cooker all the way to the end and let the timer do the cooking for you.
3. After about 1 hour and 30 minutes, add the saffron water on top of the rice. Unplug rice cooker.
4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes without uncovering the pot.
5. Remove lid and start gently pouring the rice on a round dish. Try to have the part with the saffron (which will create a yellow color on the rice) be on top. Serve!
It's as easy as that. The rice cooker does all the work for you. The benefit of using a rice cooker, is that your basmati will have a more fragrant scent and stronger authentic flavor. Rice is a delicate grain and can be easily manipulated and overcooked.
Like most things, there are many variations to prepare Persian rice. You can cook it more or less, according to your personal preferences.
Look out for more recipes to come....
)