Green Rice

Name: Green Rice
Yield: makes 6 cups
Ingredients: 2 cups long-grain basmati rice; Salt; 1 teaspoon saffron threads or powder; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 leeks, green and white parts, finely diced; 1 teaspoon dried lime powder, or 1 preserved whole lime; 1 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 cup minced fresh cilantro; 1/3 cup minced fresh dill; 1 cup shelled, toasted pistachios

December 14, 2011

My Iranian father is infamous for knowing how to make one single dish: rice cooked with lentils, dill, and spices. Rice is ubiquitous in Persian cooking, and there are many elaborate variations that include dried fruit, fresh herbs, nuts, and beans. This version is green and aromatic. Dried limes have a distinctly sour, herbal taste specific to Persian food. Whole or powdered dried limes can be found at the stores listed in this book’s Resources section (page 193), but if you can’t find either one, the rice can be cooked with 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and seasoned with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice right before serving.

Recipe notes

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