2 tsp saffron, leaf saffron
2 tbsp milk, warm salt
2 cup rice, basmati
4 tbsp butter
Directions
"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
reputable 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 lukewarm
milk and let it sit for three to four 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 aluminium 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.
SERVES:6
Servings: 6 servings
Buttered Saffron Rice Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Rice; Vegetable
The History of Recipes
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The truth of the matter is, the oldest recipe discovered so far, according to Professor Solomon Katz, is a collection of tablets in ancient Sumerian which recount the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who tried it feel blissful and exhilarated. As we move into Roman times around 25BC a man called Apicius created some documents detailing recipes cooked by wealthy Romans. In his scrolls, he tells us how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into starters, main course and desserts, a style of dining still practiced today. This early Roman chef recounts how the ancient chefs used a wide range of spices, including a few you will know like bay, mint and asafoetida. Moving on, we have two recipe books which were published in the fourteenth century : one book entitled `Forme of Cury`, and another called `Curye on Inglish`. Although the titles sound familiar, they are unconnected to the indian curry that is popular today, but instead recipes for the types of food enjoyed by the upper classes. Later, in the 15th century, knights returning from the crusades brought back many foods and herbs from middle-east cuisine, including spices like parsley, basil and rosemary. The introduction of these new herbs and spices was responsible for a torrent in recipe books, many of which are kept safe in private collections. Like it or not, the introduction of TV brings us TV cookery programs and the demand for the accompanying recipe books. Which brings us neatly up to date and the internet revolution, permitting us all to access thousands of recipes just like those on this web site. |
We hope you enjoy this Buttered Saffron Rice recipe.
