Persian herb chilau
This rice is cooked Iranian-style for a delicious, crusty layer
Difficulty and servings
Serves 8 as a side dish
Preparation and cooking times
45 mins to cook, plus 2 hours soaking
Vegetarian
- Wash the rice well and rinse it in a sieve until the water runs clear. Cover it with water and leave it to soak for two hours. Wash and rinse again.
- Bring a saucepan of water up to the boil then pour the rice into it. Cook the rice for about 6 minutes, until it's just beginning to soften on the outside. Drain and rinse in lukewarm water.
- Heat the butter and oil in a heavy saucepan until foaming then add half of the drained rice. Cover this with half the herbs, then the rest of the rice and finish with the rest of the herbs, seasoning as you go along.
- Turn the heat down and make three steam holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon. Wrap the lid of the pan in a tea towel and put the covered lid onto the saucepan (the tea towel stops condensation from falling back into the rice). Let the rice cook for a further 20-25 minutes and make sure the heat is on very low.
- Empty the rice into a bowl, dislodging the lovely crisp bits at the bottom. Break these up and add to the rest of the rice. If you like it rich, serve with extra melted butter and a squeeze of lemon on top. Persians put saffron in the butter before pouring it over.
Recipe from olive magazine, January 2007.
Leave a comment or suggestion
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4136/
Your binder
Sign up or sign in to receive a £60 wine voucher, and to save, rate and comment on recipes. Plus, get our newsletter.
Ingredients
- 425g basmati rice
- 50g butter , plus extra to serve (optional)
- 75ml sunflower oil
- 100g mixed dill, coriander, flat-leaf parsley and mint, chopped
- 25g butter , (optional)
- ½ lemon
Buy ingredients
Send the ingredients for this recipe instantly to: 
Search Good Food
Lamb shanks with olives & preserved lemon
Impress your dinner guests with this aromatic lamb dish, with Moorish flavours
2
ratings
Get the free BBC Good Food app
Difficulty and servings
Serves 8 as a side dish
Preparation and cooking times
45 mins to cook, plus 2 hours soaking
Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 425g basmati rice
- 50g butter , plus extra to serve (optional)
- 75ml sunflower oil
- 100g mixed dill, coriander, flat-leaf parsley and mint, chopped
- 25g butter , (optional)
- ½ lemon
Advertisement
Your binder
Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:
- You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
Latest comments and suggestions
05 October 2008
rez commented on this recipe
Flag as inappropriate
Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.
05 October 2008
rez rated this recipe
Flag as inappropriate
Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.