Persian Tahchin: Baked Saffron Rice
I’m making the best crispy saffron rice cake with my Persian mother! Enjoy this recipe for special occasions or any time you want to try out a traditional Persian meal.
What is Persian Tahchin?
TRANSLATION: PERSIAN LAYERED RICE WITH SAFFRON, CHICKEN, AND EGGPLANT.
I grew up as a first generation American. Both of my parents immigrated to the United States after the Iranian revolution in 1979. So my brother and I are both the first generation to grow up outside of Iran. With that came a lot of Persian traditions! Growing up, I was always confused as to why we ate different kinds of food than my American friends.
When I would go to my friends houses, they would give me pasta, meatballs, meatloaf, hamburgers, and French fries. But when my friends came over, my parents would serve up Iranian stews, crispy rice cake, yogurt, and traditional Persian rice dishes like this one, Tahchin.
My Persian Heritage
WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG I WAS ASHAMED OF BEING SO DIFFERENT.
However, that all changed when I went to college and lived in the foreign exchange student dorm (don’t ask me why I was placed in that dorm, I don’t know myself). I met people from all over the world: France, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany. And every single one either spoke a different language or had their own traditions they shared with me. That’s when I realized - WOW. I have those same experiences and it makes me such an interesting person with so much depth!
It all changed for me when I was 18. Being surrounded by people that appreciated the culture, made me interested and eager to learn more about my own culture. That’s when I began asking my grandmother, aunts and mother all sorts of questions about Persian food. Little by little, I gained knowledge in nutrition, food, and cooking.
I AM SO FLIPPING PROUD TO BE A PERSIAN-AMERICAN.
What You Need to Make Tahchin
RICE
The foundation and main ingredient of this traditional Persian dish is fluffy rice! You need good quality rice, one that is not sticky, not starchy, and long grain. If you make this with a short grain Jasmine rice, you’ll be disappointed (lol). We use authentic Persian basmati rice for this Persian saffron rice cake for a perfectly crunchy crust.
SAFFRON
Saffron is a spice that is used a lot in all Persian cuisine and is high in antioxidants. A little goes a long way, so you don’t need to worry about having too little. It usually comes in threads form, so you’ll take the threads, smash them down to a powder, add warm water, mix then pour the saffron water on the rice! Our YouTube video shows you how to use it!
The floral notes create a beautiful aroma in this delicious spice. It is known to boost your mood and make you happy.
I get mine straight from Iran, but you can also find it on Amazon!
KNIFE SET
You’ll need a good knife set for this, to cut the chicken and eggplant. Well, you’ll need a good knife set regardless in life. Since I was a private chef, I have had the opportunity to try a lot of knives. Here’s the honest truth. There are so many knives out there that are phenomenal in the first month. Then, they become dull and you have to take them to get sharpened, which can be a whole ordeal. Not only is it expensive, but it also requires you to drop your knives off, then pick them back up every few months. Honestly, the process is a drag.
I found this knife set from Target that has a sharpener included. I like this because every few days, you just run your knife in the sharpening block and you have perfectly sharp knifes! It’s easy to use and, honestly, such a great investment.
CHICKEN
I recommend getting your chicken from Cooks Venture. Its pasture raised, heirloom chicken. They have 800 acres to roam on in their farm in Arkansas. The chicken tastes is not injected with antibiotics. The chickens are even higher in omega 3’s and vitamin A! Plus, it tastes SO MUCH BETTER. Simply order your chicken (they have pork, beef and lamb too) online, and it’ll be delivered right to your door.
Use my code JAZZ for $50 off your first box + FREE SHIPPING.
It’s a deal you honestly don’t want to miss!
Watch the Video Tutorial
Getting to cook traditional Persian dishes with my mother is such a blessing. I have learned to cook so many delicious Persian recipes from her, and we have so much fun in the kitchen together. We hope you can bring love and joy into your kitchen with this Persian rice cake Tahchin recipe!
Persian Tahchin Ingredients
Rice
4 cups basmati rice, uncooked
6 cups water
1 tablespoon pink salt
Eggplant
1 large eggplant, peeled
1 teaspoon avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
Chicken
6 pieces of skinless chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cold water
1 teaspoon pink salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Tahchin
3 eggs, 1 whole egg + 2 egg yolks
4 cups plain organic Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons avocado oil + 3 tablespoons for holes at the end
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
How to Make Persian Tahchin
Chicken
Add the chicken + chopped onion + salt + pepper + garlic powder to a stovetop pot with a top.
Add water and cover.
Turn the chicken on low heat for about 45 minutes until the water is absorbed and the chicken is cooked and falls apart easily with a fork.
Once cooked, chop chicken into larger cubes and set it aside for assembly.
Eggplant
Peel the eggplant. Cut into 1/4 inch rounds.
Lay the eggplant flat on a few paper towels and sprinkle it with salt. Set out for about 1 hour to remove all of the moisture.
After an hour, remove the paper towel and lay it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread a bit of oil on top.
Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes total, 20 minutes on each side or until cooked.
Once cooked, set aside for assembly.
Rice
Add the dry rice into a large flat stovetop pot. Add water to cover the rice, stir with the fingertips then drain the rice. Rinse and repeat about 4-5 times until the water runs clear.
Add 6 cups of filtered water to the rice. Add salt then bring the rice to a boil over medium-high heat.
After about 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium heat and stir the rice to ensure no clumping. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the rice is par-cooked (it will continue to cook in the oven).
Drain the rice in a strainer. Set aside for assembly.
Tahchin
Mix the yogurt, eggs, saffron, and 3 tbsp avocado oil in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
Pour 1/2 the yogurt mixture into the bottom of a glass oven-safe dish (we used a 9 x 13 x 2 Pyrex pan).
For the first rice layer, pour about 1/2 of the rice into the bottom of the pan, mix to combine the rice, and spread flat evenly in preparation for the next layer.
Add eggplant (optional). We added it to 1/2 of the pan and just layered them evenly.
Mix the chicken cubes into the remaining yogurt and egg mixture along with about 2-4 cups of cooked rice.
Arrange the chicken and rice mixture on top in an even layer.
Pour the remaining rice onto the top layer.
Poke about 8 holes in the rice. Pour a total of 3 tbsp avocado oil into the holes.
Cover the tahchin with foil. At this point, you can either refrigerate it for up to 24 hours to cook later OR place it directly in the oven.
Bake at 400 in a preheated oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until browned and edges are crispy and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
To serve, place a large rectangular size dish on top of the Pyrex pan. Use oven mitts to grasp the edges of the Pyrex pan while also grasping the serving platter. Flip towards you.
We garnished it with some plain yogurt (which is traditionally what we all eat most dishes with). Enjoy warm!
Other Delicious Dinner Recipes
Persian Tahchin
Ingredients
- 4 cups basmati rice, uncooked
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon pink salt
- 1 large eggplant, peeled
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon pink salt
- 6 pieces of skinless chicken breasts
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 eggs, 1 whole egg + 2 egg yolks
- 4 cups plain organic greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil + 3 tablespoons for holes at the end
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon pink salt
Instructions
- Add the chicken + chopped onion + salt + pepper + garlic powder to a stovetop pot with a top.
- Add water and cover.
- Turn the chicken on low heat for about 45 minutes until the water is absorbed and the chicken is cooked and falls apart easily with a fork.
- Once cooked, chop chicken into larger cubes and set it aside for assembly.
- Peel the eggplant. Cut into 1/4 inch rounds.
- Lay the eggplant flat on a few paper towels and sprinkle it with salt. Set out for about 1 hour to remove all of the moisture.
- After an hour, remove the paper towel and lay it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread a bit of oil on top.
- Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes total, 20 minutes on each side or until cooked.
- Once cooked, set aside for assembly.
- Add the dry rice into a large flat stovetop pot. Add water to cover the rice, stir with the fingertips then drain the rice. Rinse and repeat about 4-5 times until the water runs clear.
- Add 6 cups of filtered water to the rice. Add salt then bring the rice to a boil over medium/high heat.
- After about 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium heat and stir the rice to ensure no clumping. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the rice is par-cooked (it will continue to cook in the oven).
- Drain the rice in a strainer. Set aside for assembly.
- Mix the yogurt, eggs, saffron, and 3 tbsp avocado oil in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Pour 1/2 the yogurt mixture into the bottom of a glass baking dish (we used a 9 x 13 x 2 Pyrex pan).
- Pour about 1/2 of the rice into the bottom of the pan, mix to combine the rice, and spread flat evenly in preparation for the next layer.
- Add eggplant (optional). We added it to 1/2 of the pan and just layered them evenly.
- Mix the chicken cubes into the remaining yogurt and egg mixture along with about 2-4 cups of cooked rice.
- Arrange the chicken/rice mixture on top evenly.
- Pour the remaining rice onto the top.
- Poke about 8 holes in the rice. Pour a total of 3 tbsp avocado oil into the holes.
- Cover the tahchin with foil. At this point, you can either refrigerate it for up to 24 hours to cook later OR place it directly in the oven.
- Bake at 400 for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until browned and edges are crispy.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- To serve, place a large rectangular size dish on top of the Pyrex pan. Use oven mitts to grasp the edges of the Pyrex pan while also grasping the serving platter. Flip towards you.
- We garnished it with some plain yogurt (which is traditionally what we all eat most dishes with). Enjoy warm!
Vegan or not, this stuffing will be a hit for all at your Thanksgiving table this year! This recipe is dairy-free and devoid of allergens, making it a safe choice for everyone at the table.