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Ingredients
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Quantity
|
|
Saffron
|
2 tsp
|
|
Warm milk
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2 tbsp
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Salt
|
1 tbsp
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Basmati rice
|
2 cups
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Butter
|
4 tbsp
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"The darker (the redder) the saffron colour, the better the
quality. It usually comes from Spain, but the best, really expensive stuff, is
grown in Kashmir, where I went to see it growing. There are many different
grades. Watch out for fake or dyed saffron. Buy it from a reliable source. To
use it in a recipe, I roast it in a cast-iron pan until it's crisp to draw out
the colour, then crumble it into lukewarm milk and let it sit for 3 to 4
hours."
Place saffron in small, dry, hot pan over medium
heat about 1 minute or just until fragrant. Crumble into milk. Fill large pot
with about 13 cups water; add salt and bring to boil. Meanwhile, place rice in
medium bowl and cover with cold water. Immediately drain rice through colander.
Wash and drain two more times. When water is boils, add rice and stir once; bring
to boil. Cook 5 minutes; rice should be slightly hard in the centre. Drain in colander
and place in ovenproof dish. Drizzle saffron milk over rice, tossing over a
couple of times very gently. Divide butter into four pieces; place over rice.
Cut pieces of aluminum foil 2 inches larger than rim of dish; place on top of
dish: place lid on foil. Bake in preheated 300F oven 40 to 50 minutes, checking
after 40 minutes to see if rice is cooked. Serve saffron coloured streaked rice
spooned on warmed platter.
