Tahchin is rice turned into a cake. Saffron, yoghurt and egg yolk bind the rice, a layer of tender chicken hides in the middle, and the whole thing bakes until a thick golden crust forms all round.
Turned out on a platter and cut into wedges, it never fails to impress. It also makes very good use of leftover chicken.
At a glance: serves six. About two and a half hours, including soaking. Medium.
Ingredients
- 3 cups basmati rice, soaked for 2 hours
- 500g boneless chicken thighs
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup thick plain yoghurt
- 2 egg yolks
- A generous pinch of saffron, bloomed in 4 tbsp hot water
- 4 tbsp melted butter, plus oil for the dish
- 2 tbsp barberries and slivered pistachios, to serve
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the chicken with the onion, turmeric, salt and a cup of water for about 40 minutes until tender. Shred it.
- Boil the rice in salted water for six minutes and drain.
- Whisk the yoghurt, egg yolks, saffron and a pinch of salt. Mix in about two thirds of the rice.
- Grease a deep ovenproof dish generously with butter and oil. Press in half the saffron rice, add the chicken, then the rest of the saffron rice, and finish with the plain rice. Drizzle with melted butter.
- Cover with foil and bake at 190C for about 90 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms. Rest for ten minutes, then turn it out onto a plate.
- Scatter with barberries fried briefly in butter and pistachios.
Use a glass dish. You can see the crust forming and judge when it is ready.
Make it ahead. Tahchin can be assembled the night before and baked when you need it.
Serve with salad and yoghurt. Iranians argue about the crust almost as much as about tahdig, and in a good tahchin it covers the whole cake.
