This fool-proof recipe for how-to cook parboiled rice will give you aromatic rice with the desirable fluffy texture with individual grains of rice. Gluten-Free. Vegan Options.
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Parboiled rice was a foreign concept to me after years of steaming rice. I remember the first time my husband (then boyfriend) boiled rice. I cringed. What is he doing?! I thought. Boy, was I wrong!
To my credit: he skipped soaking, and didn’t add the step of rinsing and steaming, serving me sloppy, partially cooked rice. He’s since become a great chef – those were the early years.
I’ve since enjoyed delicious, aromatic, fluffy rice in abundance and you can too! Parboiled rice is easily accomplished so long as you follow a few key steps which include: soaking, boiling, and steaming. Now, on to the good stuff…
Tips on How-to Cook Parboiled Rice
Choose Good Rice. You’ll need a long-grain rice, basmati is the best choice for this dish. Look for rice that is yellow-tinted in color as this is a sign of its freshness.
Rinse and Soak. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear and then place in a bowl to soak. Soaking the rice for at least 30 minutes will give you those individual rice grains that are essential to fluffy rice.
Boil. Start with boiling water, do not bring the water to a boil with the water in it – this will lead to mushy rice.
Rinse Again. Rinse the boiled rice to remove additional starches and excess salt.
Tips on Tahdig
Making Tahdig. Tahdig, which translates to “bottom of the pot”, is a delicious treat which can be made from lavash, tortilla, potato or other starchy vegetable, lettuce, or the rice itself. In this recipe, I use potato but feel free to try something different. The process is simple, add a bit of oil and salt to a hot pan, place the sliced potatoes down to line the pot and cover with the parboiled rice in order to steam the rice. The result is a deliciously browned, slightly salted potato.
Skipping the Tahdig. Skip the added calories of tahdig by placing the boiled and rinsed rice back into the pot fitted with a towel-lined lid and heat on the lowest heat for 30 minutes. Some rice may stick to the bottom of the pot, but a soak in water will remove this.
Tips on Steaming
Steam with a Towel or a damkesh (damkoni). When you return the rice back to the stove, be sure to cover the inside of the lid with a towel. There is a product called a damkesh (damkoni) which serves this purpose. I normally use a towel – just be sure to tuck the towel into the handle of the lid so you don’t start a fire and stay nearby the stove. I’ve never had an issue, but please be careful. I just ordered a damkesh from the Persian Mama – I linked above but I have not used it yet. The purpose of the towel or damkesh is to prevent condensation from returning to the pot and resulting in mushy rice. This piece is essential to getting fluffy, individual rice grains.
Vegan Option. To make this dish vegan, substitute the butter with coconut oil or for a less-intense flavor oil, use olive oil or refined peanut oil.
Health Talk on How-To Cook Parboiled Rice
Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor as I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I have a passion for health and cooking and my hope is to bring you information that will encourage a health-filled life.
Parboiled rice Persian-style with saffron is meant to be consumed in moderation as it is a starchy grain and with the added tahdig, it can be a savory treat. If you are looking to cut back on calories, opt for not making the tahdig (see note above).
Basmati is lower in arsenic than other types of rice, making it a healthier choice. It also contains good levels of folate, which is vital for cell division, as well as the formation of DNA. Furthermore, choosing whole-grain rice over white rice will get you greater nutritional benefits, including a good level of dietary fiber. For more information about basmati rice, check my sources at the bottom of this post.
Equipment
- Large stock pot
- Metal colander or strainer
- Medium-sized bowl
- Large skillet with fitted lid
- Hand towel or damkesh
- Slotted spoon
- Spatula
- Peeler
How-to Cook Parboiled Rice Persian-Style with Saffron
- Prep Time: 30 Min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Persian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This fool-proof recipe for how-to cook parboiled rice will give you aromatic rice with the desirable fluffy texture with individual grains of rice. Gluten-Free. Vegan Options.
Ingredients
- 8 cups boiling water
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp butter or oil
- Pinch saffron
- 1 tsp rose water
For Tahdig:
- 1 large yellow potato peeled and sliced (for tahdig)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp ghee or butter
- Sprinkle of salt
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with cold tap until the water runs clear. Place in a medium sized bowl and fill with water to soak rice for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Strain.
- Boil 8 cups water with 1 Tbsp sea salt.
- Add strained rice to pot and boil 8 min or until rice is aldente with a soft outside and firm inside.
- Strain and rinse rice.
- Heat a dry skillet fitted with a lid for 1 min. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp butter or oil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Add the sliced potato to bottom of the pan and cover with the strained rice.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp rose water over rice and cover pan with a towel lined lid (you don’t want the condensation from the lid to go back into the rice.
- Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes to brown the potatoes. Reduce heat to low and cook for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the basmati out of the pan onto a serving platter.
- Melt 1 Tbsp butter. Grind 1/8 tsp saffron using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Mix the saffron into the melted butter and drizzle over the cooked basmati.
- Using a spatula, either break and remove the tahdig to place over the rice or flip pan onto a separate serving platter. Nushejan, enjoy!
Notes
Steam with a Towel or a damkesh (damkoni). When you return the rice back to the stove, be sure to cover the inside of the lid with a towel. There is a product called a damkesh (damkoni) which serves this purpose. I normally use a towel – just be sure to tuck the towel into the handle of the lid so you don’t start a fire and stay nearby the stove. I’ve never had an issue, but please be careful. I just ordered a damkesh from the Persian Mama – I linked above but I have not used it yet. The purpose of the towel or damkesh is to prevent condensation from returning to the pot and resulting in mushy rice. This piece is essential to getting fluffy, individual rice grains.
Vegan Option. To make this dish vegan, substitute the butter with coconut oil or for a less-intense flavor oil, use olive oil or refined peanut oil.
Skipping the Tahdig. Skip the added calories of tahdig by placing the boiled and rinsed rice (from Step 4) back into the pot fitted with a towel-lined lid and heat on the lowest heat for 30 minutes. Some rice may stick to the bottom of the pot, but a soak in water will remove this. Proceed to step 9 and skip step 11
Goes great with…Serve alongside Joojeh – Persian-Style Barbecue Chicken, Gormeh Sabzi, or Vegan “Gormeh” Sabzi
Try something new and tell me about it in the comments!
Keywords: Gluten Free, Rice, Persian, Parboiled rice, saffron rice, saffron, side dish, side
Resources
Healthline, Is Basmati Rice Healthy?
WebMD, Health Benefits of Basmati Rice
