Iranian · intermediate
Iranian Pumpkin And Garlic Spiced Rice Skillet
A comforting Mazandaran-inspired Persian skillet rice dish layering parboiled basmati rice with golden sautéed pumpkin cubes, garlic, cinnamon, and warm saffron.
- PREP TIME
- 20 min
- COOK TIME
- 35 min
- SERVES
- 4
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Bring 6 cups of salted water to boil in a pot, add rinsed basmati rice, boil rapidly for 6 minutes until edges are tender but core remains firm, then drain in a colander.
- 02
Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium heat, add sliced yellow onion, and cook for 7 minutes until rich golden brown.
- 03
Add minced garlic, ground cinnamon, and ground turmeric to the onions; stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 04
Add squash cubes to the onion pan and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until edges brown slightly; remove from heat.
- 05
Add remaining tablespoon of ghee and 2 tablespoons water into bottom of a deep non-stick pot.
- 06
Layer half the parboiled rice into the pot, top with squash-onion mixture, cover with remaining rice, drizzle steeped saffron water over top, cover lid tightly with a clean kitchen towel, and steam on lowest heat setting for 20 minutes.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Layered Damp-Towel Steaming
Steaming partially cooked rice with pre-cooked toppings under a towel-wrapped lid to traps steam and yield fluffy, distinct grains.
Notes from the kitchen
- Draining rice at the parboiled stage prevents it from turning mushy during steam cooking.
- Wrapping pot lid in a towel absorbs escaping moisture to keep steamed rice grains light and distinct.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Iranian; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.
