Don't understand the recipe instructions . . .

[shivvy]

I fancy making this recipe:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...rpulaolayeredmi_74823
. . . however I don't really understand the last bit ie the layering bit.
It says to layer the different elements in a rice pan. I have looked up rice pans and they look like pressure cookers or slow cookers. I don't have that equipment so is there some other way I can steam it?
Also, once it is done, how should it be served? Surely the prettiness of it being layered would be lost by the time it would be scooped out of a pressure cooker or casserole etc?>
Thanks

[pastafreak]

As I read it-they mean the pan the rice was cooked in.
As for the layering-I assume that is just for cooking purposes-not to make a dish that looks pretty. It's a shame there isn't a photo of the finished dish.

[NazNomad]

^^ Agreed.

... and Google images suggest it's just served in a heap, no 'prettiness' to it, aside from some garnish.

[shivvy]

Ah - on reading again it clearly means the pan the rice was cooked in - thanks pasta and naz!
Although even if i did layer it in a saucepan and "steamed" it over a low heat, would it not burn after 10-15 minutes?

[Buenchico]

Here's how I read it:

The recipe refers to partially cooking the rice in a 'large pan' (Step 9), which I take to simply mean a big saucepan. Then it tells you to drain the rice (also Step 9). In Step 10 it says "Add the remaining oil to the empty rice pan". To me, that means exactly the same pan as you've just used to part-cook the rice. (i.e. you don't need any special pans).

PF seems to have read it the same way, so it's probably worth a try!

Chris

[shivvy]

yup - got that thanks chris

[Buenchico]

Partially-cooked rice will have absorbed plenty of water (and you're also adding a drizzle of saffron water). Steaming will simply drive off some of the excess water and allow the water already within the rice to permeate the membranes further.

It's similar to the 'proper' way to cook boiled rice, where you only use a minimal amount of water so that it doesn't require any draining at all when it's fully cooked. (There's definitely a knack to getting that exactly right, and I tend to use more water plus draining. However the 'proper' method, carried out exactly, definitely produces fluffier rice, with individual grains).

Chris

[pastafreak]

There will be a certain amount of liquid from the other ingredients, that will 'trickle down' to the bottom layer. The trick is to have the heat on the lowest possible setting...there may be some unavoidable sticking.
Let us know how you get on-it sounds good.

[shivvy]

I'll give it a go Chris but I'm not hopeful!!

And why bother layering it when it is bound to look like a dogs dinner when it is transferred?!!

[Buenchico]

You need the steam to complete the cooking of the non-rice ingredients. The steam will come largely from the rice. If you put all of the rice at the top (or the bottom), the other ingredients wouldn't be properly steamed (because they'd be too far away from the source of that steam).

[jack daniels]

I watched Reza Mahammad cook this on tv & thought it looked delicious - i want to make it myself at some point.
he did use the cooked rice pan itself to layer the ingredients but any pan would do (if non-stick even better) you could also layer it in a pyrex type oven proof dish and finish it off in the oven on a low heat covered in foil but I would liberally sprinkle some water/stock into it since it's going into the oven.
If you wanted to divide the cooked rice & colour some with food colouring it would add another dimension in the layered finished look.
Hope it goes well & let us know the end result shivvy

this was delicious too

http://www.iranian.co...un/chef-reza-mohammad


Anna x

[shivvy]

Thanks for your answers.
I'll give it a go later in the week and let you know how it turns out . . .