Tahchin is such a versatile Persian classic! It’s a rice dish, that can be prepared with chicken, meat, veggies or plain as a side dish. Tahchin-e Morgh has a crispy golden rice crust on the outside and juicy chicken in the centre, surrounded by fragrant saffron rice and sweet and sour barberries on top. Served with the flavourful juices of the chicken or meat and some creamy yoghurt, this makes for a delicious meal, that’s also a feast for the eyes.
This time I made Tahchin-e Morgh (with chicken filling) but you can use this recipe to make any type of Tahchin you like. Simply replace the chicken with lamb or veggies, if you prefer. If you go for chicken, I recommend chicken legs, because they are more juicy than breasts.
Time
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 h 15 min
Total: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients (serves 4)
400g / 2 cups basmati rice
300 to 400g / 10 to 14oz chicken thighs or breast
250g strained yoghurt (1/2 cup) or Greek-style yoghurt (1 cup)
1 onion
1 egg
5 tbsp dried barberries
5 tbsp sugar
9 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground saffron
3 ice cubes
2 tbsp salt for the rice water, plus extra to taste
A few tbsp slivered pistachios and almonds (optional)
Method
Bloom the saffron
Put the ice cubes in a glass and sprinkle the ground saffron over them. Set aside in a warm place to melt into saffron water. For the best result, do this an hour in advance.
Cook the chicken filling
Peel and quarter the onion. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to avoid hot splatters, then fry it for 3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes.
Season with black pepper and add 1 cup / 240ml of freshly boiled water, a few teaspoons of the saffron water and salt to taste. Turn the heat to low, put the lid on and simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Lift the chicken out and let it cool a little. Keep the broth (remove the onion); you'll serve it with the Tahchin. If you used chicken on the bone, pull the meat off. Shred the chicken with two forks and set aside.
Parboil the rice
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and dissolve 2 tbsp salt in it (you'll rinse most of it off later). Add the rice and bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible. Parboil until the grains are soft on the outside but still have a bite in the centre. Depending on your rice, this takes anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes.
Drain in a sieve and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and wash off the excess salt.
Mix the rice
Strained yoghurt is denser and more sour than Greek-style yoghurt; you'll find it in Turkish supermarkets. In a bowl, mix the egg with the yoghurt, the rest of the saffron water and a little salt. Add the rice and stir until it is evenly yellow.
Layer and steam
Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick pot over medium heat. Spread half the rice over the bottom and level it. Spread the chicken on top, leaving about 2.5cm / 1 inch free around the edge so the outside of the Tahchin seals nicely. Cover with the rest of the rice and level it without pressing down. Leave at least 2.5cm / 1 inch of space at the top of the pot, because the rice expands as it cooks.
When you see steam rising, wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel, close it firmly, turn the heat to low and steam for 50 to 60 minutes.
Caramelise the barberries
Rinse the barberries in a sieve and let the excess water drain away. Five minutes before the Tahchin is ready, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over low-medium heat. Add the barberries, sugar and a few tablespoons of hot water and stir quickly for about a minute, then take the pan off the heat. Stir in the pistachios and almonds.
Serve
Place a large plate upside down on the pot. Holding the pot handles and the plate together (use oven gloves), flip it over swiftly and lift the pot away. Decorate the golden Tahchin with the barberries and nuts and serve with the chicken broth and extra yoghurt, if you like. Nooshe jan!
Hami's tip
Chicken legs stay juicier than breast. You can also swap the chicken for lamb or vegetables; use the same method.
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