Coriander Rice

An excellent side dish for a Persian meal.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups basmati rice
• 3  quarts water
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons salt
• 5  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1  tablespoon  coriander seed, coarsely crushed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  lemon, zest of

Directions

1. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a heavy pot.
2. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
3. Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil.
4. Drain the parboiled rice well and clean and dry the pot.
5. Add the butter to the pot and cook over low heat until melted.
6. Stir in the coriander seeds and pepper.
7. Add the parboiled rice to the pot, making a mound in the center.
8. Use the handle of a cooking utensil to make 5 or 6 holes in the rice, all the way to the bottom of the pot.
9. Lay the lemon zest over the top of the rice.
10. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and a lid, folding the edges of the towel up over the lid (to keep the towel from burning).
11. Cook rice over low heat, undisturbed, until the rice is tender and a crust has formed on the bottom of the pot, about 30 to 35 minutes.
12. Remove the pot from the heat and let rice stand, tightly covered and undisturbed, for 30 minutes.
13. Spoon the loose rice onto a serving platter and garnish with the lemon zest.
14. Season with salt to taste.
15. Break up the crust and scatter it over the rice. Serve warm.