The Rookie Chef

In our new series Nadiya Ziafat explores the dishes she loves and enlists cookery writers and chefs in getting them just right

This episode sees Persian chef and author Sabrina Ghayour share a classic Persian rice recipe and reveals how to create the perfect tahdig crust. Her latest cookbook, Simply, is out now (£26, Mitchell Beazley).

SABRINA’S TOP TIPS

● Choose the best quality basmati rice you can. Aged basmati is even better.

● Use a combination of oil and butter for best results (either a light olive, vegetable or sunflower oil).

● Use a sturdy non-stick pan. Cast iron pans conduct too much heat and can burn the crust.

● Draining and rinsing the rice after parboiling is key. Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water then leave to drain completely before moving on to the next stage.

● Read the recipe before you start!

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Tune in to the Rookie Chef podcast where you can hear Sabrina chatting to Nadiya about how to perfect Persian rice – available to download from Acast, Spotify, itunes and podcast streaming services.