SpiceLines

The recipe is adapted from several by Nawal Nasrallah, an expert on Iraqi cooking. In Delights from The Garden of Eden she gives very specific directions for cooking plain rice. In particular, she recommends different soaking times for different types of rice—30 minutes for American and jasmine, 60 minutes for aged basmati—and the use of exactly 1-3/4 cups of water for each cup of rice. The rice is cooked in the water in which it is soaked to retain nutrients, and she also suggests gently stirring the rice twice while it simmers “preferably with a fork to allow it to fluff.”

Iranian saffron, grown in east Khorasan near the border with Afghanistan, has a bright metallic scent. Infused in water, the aroma softens and becomes more floral, with an undertone of old, well-worn leather.

To transform this simple rice, simmer it with a generous pinch of Persian saffron. In the jar, the saffron has a bright, cool, almost metallic scent. But when it is crushed and soaked in hot water for a few minutes, the aroma softens and becomes more floral, with a dusky undertone that smells like well-worn leather in an ancient saddle shop. It is this remarkable fragrance that infuses the rice and also turns it electric yellow.

(I get Iranian saffron from Goumanyat et Son Royaume, a Paris spice shop, but you can use any high quality saffron in this recipe.)

Now add to the pot a small stick of Ceylon cinnamon. Saffron and true cinnamon have a curious affinity for each other—the citrusy sweetness of the cinnamon seems to bring out a similar, but very subtle sweetness in the saffron. If you only have supermarket cinnamon (which is really the more widely available cassia), use just a pinch of the ground spice. Otherwise cassia’s pungent aroma will obliterate the delicate fragrance of the saffron.

To gild the lily, saute chopped sweet onion (Walla Wallas, Vidalias, or 10-15’s, for instance) with slivered almonds and dried cherries, and stir the mixture into the finished rice. Now you have it all—a fragrant golden rice, punctuated by the tart cherries and rich, oily almonds, bolstered by the gentle sweetness of the cooked onions.

The rice is delicious with braised lamb shanks, but as for me, I like to eat it in a bowl, all on its own.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Rice with Persian Saffron, Cinnamon and Dried Cherries

(adapted from recipes by Nawal Nasrallah in Delights from the Garden of Eden)

To serve 6

Ingredients:

2 cups Carolina, jasmine or basmati rice
3-1/2 cups water
A generous ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons hot water
1-1/2 inch piece of Ceylon cinnamon, or ¼ teaspoon ground supermarket cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
1-1/2 cups chopped sweet onion (Walla Wallas, Vidalias, 10-15’s))
¾ cup slivered blanched almonds
¾ cup dried sweetened cherries, or dried cranberries or raisins

Method:
1. Put the rice in a large bowl and swish it gently in a generous amount of cold water. Drain and repeat 2 or more times, until the water is clear. Drain thoroughly in a colander.
2. In a medium saucepan combine the rinsed rice and 3-1/2 cups cold water. Set aside to soak, 30 minutes for Carolina or jasmine rice, 60 minutes for aged basmati.
3. Grind the saffron in a mortar and pestle, or simply crumble it with your fingers. Combine with 2 tablespoons hot water in a small bowl and let steep for a few minutes.
4. When the rice has finished soaking, stir in the saffron and its steeping liquid, the salt and 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the piece of cinnamon and stir. Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly, but continue to boil until much of the water has been absorbed and there are holes in the surface of the rice. Stir, then cover and turn the heat to low.
5. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, twice stirring gently with a fork, until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente. Remove to a cool burner and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Let it sit partly covered while you finish the recipe.
6. Heat a large skillet over a medium flame and when it is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Saute the onions for 4 to 5 minutes until they soften and begin to turn golden. Add the almonds and continue to sauté, stirring continuously just until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the cherries and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring constantly, until the almonds are golden brown and the cherries have plumped up.
7. Reserve ½ cup of the onion mixture. Gently stir the rest into the saffron rice, taking care not to break or compact the grains. Turn out into a large serving bowl and let the rice sit for a few minutes. Just before serving sprinkle with the reserved onion mixture. Serve at warm room temperature.