Saffron, date and almond rice from Plenty More (page 61) by Yotam Ottolenghi

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Accompaniments: Indian ratatouille; Iranian vegetable stew with dried lime

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    This recipe is on p.49 in the US edition.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Goodness, what a beautiful rice dish. Ottolenghi again creates magic with this Iranian recipe that he credits Claudia Roden’s classic A Book Of Middle Eastern Food. He believes that Irani people cook the best rice, and I have to say he might be right. This recipe takes a bit more effort than banging some rice into the rice cooker, but for special occasions, and for weekends, it is definitely worth it. The rice grains are beautifully separated and soft. The dish has a sweet overtone from the dates, and conjures up beautiful Middle Eastern feasts on low tables in tents with thick rugs covering your legs. This dish is cooked like a biryani, in layers. It needs a very low heat – if you need to, raise the pot above your heat source a little if you can (eg place a roasting rack or heat diffuser over the heat source). It could also be cooked in a very low oven, but you’ll miss the crunchy rice that forms at the bottom.

  • Jane on October 09, 2014

    This was a technique I had never used before for rice. A 2 hour soak in salty lukewarm water, a very brief boil (4 minutes) then a 35 min very gentle steam with minimal added water. It worked really well - perfectly cooked and separated grains of rice. The top layer of rice was maybe a little undercooked and quite lukewarm as the heat didn't really reach the top of the pan. But once it was topped with the Iranian vegetable stew with dried limes (p.146) I was serving it with, those quibbles didn't matter. Because the saffron soaked water is drizzled on at the end before a last 10 minute rest, the grains are distinctly white or yellow, which looks pretty.

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