Persian Diamond Rice "Javaheri-Polow"

picture courtesy of funkhaus europa


Persian Diamond Rice "Javaheri-Polow"

I saw this dish on german TV and it was made in the show "the perfect dinner" by Heidi from Hamburg she is married to an iranian and she cooked such a lovely and colorful persian meal - 3 courses. Watching this show i was already drooling. She had such a sweet attitude and was a perfect hostess... i had to print her recipes off the internet and have made it two times since with big success and my family really love it. It is a bit of work but its worth every step of the way and it looks sooo beautiful and bright when it is done.... love it Thanks Heidi!
Alissa

Serves 5

5 chicken breast
4 cups basmati rice
1 1/2 tsp saffron
1 organic lemon
salt, pepper
1 tsp kurkuma
5 carrots cut into small sticks
1 cup barberry (sereschk)
1 cup candid orange peel
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup almonds slivers
1/2 cup pistachios
sugar
oil

wash the rice 3 times and put into a big pot and cook with lots of salt water. After 10 min, when the rice has started to get tender but is still al dente, fill the rice in a colander and rinse wiht cold water. In that now empty pot meld butter or oil and then put the rice back and form a pointed pile like a mountain. Then make 4 holes with into the rice with your wooden spoon handle till the bottom of the pot. and put back on the stove over high heat and let brown for 4 min, then add 1 cup of water and then close very tighty with a lid and a kitchen towel so that the steam can't come out!!!! now reduce to low heat. After 20 min rice is perfect!! Too loosen the browned rice at the bottom put the pot immediatly in the sink that is filled with a bit of ice cold water. You will hear a pssssschhh sound - that is great!

Remove the silver skin from the chicken breast. Then stir the saffron in a mug and add boling water, stir well and pour half of it in a bowl. now add lemon juice, kurkuma, salt and pepper to one half of the saffron water and marinade the chicken in that for 1 hour. you can do that the night before

Heat oil in a pan and brown chicken breast and all sides and finish it of in the oven on high for 6 min.

To candy teh carrots blanch the carrot sticks in hot water and then melt butter in a skillet and add carrots add sugar and the other half of the saffron water and let simmer till carrots are tender.

Before serving put the hot rice on a big platter, roast nuts and wash the barberry orange peel, and raisins and roast with a bit of butter and add a bit sugar and let caramelize. Now decorate the rice with chicken pieces and arrange the nuts, berrys, raisings, carrot stiks and orange peel around the rice and over...

Serve