My mother loves butter more than I do,
more than anyone. She pulls chunks off
the stick and eats it plain, explaining
cream spun around into butter! Growing up
we ate turkey cutlets sauteed in lemon
and butter, butter and cheese on green noodles,
butter melting in small pools in the hearts
of Yorkshire puddings, butter better
than gravy staining white rice yellow,
butter glazing corn in slipping squares,
butter the lava in white volcanoes
of hominy grits, butter softening
in a white bowl to be creamed with white
sugar, butter disappearing into
whipped sweet potatoes, with pineapple,
butter melted and curdy to pour
over pancakes, butter licked off the plate
with warm Alaga syrup. When I picture
the good old days I am grinning greasy
with my brother, having watched the tiger
chase his tail and turn to butter. We are
Mumbo and Jumbo’s children despite
historical revision, despite
our parent’s efforts, glowing from the inside
out, one hundred megawatts of butter.
Tahdig (Persian Rice)
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
1/2 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons yogurt
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Turmeric (optional for color and aroma)
Preparation:
Bring 6 cups of water, 1/2 cup of salt, and some turmeric to a boil.
Rinse the rice (2 cups) and cook for 6-8 mins. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Combine 1 1/2 cups of boiled rice with the yogurt.
Melt the 3 tablespoons of oil and 3 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick pan. Add the rice you have mixed with the 3 tablespoons of yogurt and level it with a spoon. Pile the remaining rice in the pan, mounding it toward the center.
Dig 5-6 holes into the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon. This will let the steam out so the rice becomes crunchy.
Cook the rice over medium heat, rotating the pan a quarter turn every 5 minutes for even browning. Cook until your start to see a golden crust begin to form at the sides of the pan, about 15 mins.
Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking another 15 to 20 minutes. The edges of the crust should be golden. Turn off the heat.
Carefully place a big plate on top of the non-stick pan and flip the pan. Enjoy your Tahdig!
