RICE WITH KOHLRABI

This is the most aromatic Persian rice dish. It hails from the ancient Persian city of Shiraz.

Makes four to six servings.

2 cups rice

½ kg. ground beef or mutton

1 Tbsp. garbanzo bean flour

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 onion, chopped finely

½ tsp. turmeric

¼ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

3 kohlrabi, peeled and sliced into french fryshaped sticks

3 Tbsp. saffron water

1 packed cup of chopped basil

5 sprigs of tarragon (leaves only), chopped

Serving additions:

Tarragon leaves Kohlrabi sticks Oil for frying

Soak rice in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. Rinse and change water every 10 minutes until water runs clear.

In a large bowl, combine meat with garbanzo bean flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form balls the size of walnuts.

In a frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp. of oil over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, add the onion, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper. Mix well and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Add the balls to the onion mixture and fry until browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat oil in a pot for deep frying. When the oil is hot, fry the kohlrabi sticks until they turn golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels.

In a large pot, bring water to boil with 1 tablespoon of salt over high flame. Add the rice and cook for 7 minutes until it’s halfway cooked. Drain and transfer to a bowl.

Pour oil into a large thick pot until oil is 1 cm. high. Add 1 tablespoon of saffron water and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 1/3 of the rice and flatten on bottom layer of pot. Next, add a layer of half of the meatballs on top of rice. Sprinkle on half of the basil, tarragon and kohlrabi sticks (save some for adorning dish just before serving).

Add another layer of rice, then a layer of meatballs, a layer of herbs and kohlrabi. Add the last layer of rice on top without patting it down. Using the stick end of a wooden spoon, poke chimney holes in the rice so that the steam can escape.

Cover the pot with a towel and then put the lid on top so that no steam can escape. Make sure to fold up the sides of the towel so they don’t get near the flame. Cook over a high flame for 6-8 minutes. Lower the flame and cook for another 50 minutes.

Cool the pot in cold water. The extreme change in temperature will help release the rice from the bottom of the pot. Flip the pot over on top of a large serving platter and let cool down.