(no subject)

[geekchick]

Okay, a question for my friends who cook:

I have a large-ish quantity of powdered saffron;  what should I do with it?

[Edit: For clarification, that's me requesting any of your favorite recipes involving saffron since I don't know of any. I can STFW, of course, but I'd appreciate any recommendations.]

Comments

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Rice dishes are canonic.

Try this (from memory... it will work though... I have lots of practice in the kitchen):

Place some saffron powder in the water, boil the rice.

Cook up about 1/4th as much lentils as rice.

Add some raisins, slivered almonds (toasted in butter if you like) to the lentils, about ten minutes before they are done.

make up some persian allspice

1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 to 2 teaspoons cardamom pods
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Some also add ginger and black pepper, but not me, I also start with whole cloves, and do all of it in a mortar and pestle.

Fluff the rice, about a tbls of the allspice, and the lentils.

The the bottom of a pan place about a cup of yogurt (tangy... greek is very good for this, and in NYC you ought to be able to find some) and about a 1/4 cup of melted butter, pile on the rice mix.

Leave over a low heat for about 1-1 1/2 hours. The yogurt butter mix should turn the bottom of the rice a crispy brown, so place the pot in cold water, to free it up, and place the broken bits on top, so that everyone gets some.

A heat spreader is a nice thing, or the very center is liable to burn.

This is very good with apricot lamb, and other dried fruits (dates, figs, etc.) make very good additions.

TK

[geekchick]

Mmmm, thanks.

greek is very good for this, and in NYC you ought to be able to find some

Hopefully I can also find it in DC, since a road trip for yogurt is right out of the question. ;)

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

erp... silly me... right coast, wrong stretch. You might go to Levantine, off DuPont Circle, and ask if they know any good sources for greek style yogurt.

Barring that, ask at the embassy.

TK

Persian allspice

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Oh now that's interesting. I picked up a spice blend that was labelled "Baharat (advieh)" that lists clove, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and other spices. I'm guessing that this is essentially the same thing as what you're describing as "Persian allspice".