Tahchin-e-Morgh

Tahchin-e-Morgh is an Iranian dish made of Persian rice, chicken fillet, yogurt, yolks, and saffron.

What are the Ingredients?

Rice Ingredients

• 4cups Persian rice
• 1tsp saffron powder
• vegetable oil
• 400g greek yogurt
• 4 egg yolks
• salt and pepper

Chicken Ingredients

• 600g chicken fillet
• 2 onions
• 1 tsp turmeric
• salt and pepper

Garnish

• 100g barberry
• 1tbsp sugar
• vegetable oil
• slivered almond and pistachio

How to prepare Tahchin-e-Morgh?

Step 1: Preparing Ingredients

Rinse and soak the rice in salty water for at least 2 hours.

Chop the onion.

Soak the almonds, pistachios,  and barberries in separate bowls for half an hour. Drain and set aside.

Brew saffron.

Step 2: Cooking Chicken

Pour some oil into a pot and saute the chopped onions. Add turmeric, salt, and pepper, and stir-fry the chicken until white on all sides. Add boiling water. Put the lid on and let it simmer until fully cooked.

Drain, and shred the chicken. Set aside.

Step 3: Preparing Rice

Fill a large nonstick pot with 10 cups of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water, and continue cooking over medium to high heat. Stir occasionally. After 5-6 mins. scoop some rice grains from the water using a slotted spoon. Break one grain in half to ensure it is ‘’al dente’’. The rice should be firm in the center and soft on the outside. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Step 4: Preparing Sauce

Beat the yolks in a bowl, and add the yogurt, and some salt. Gradually add brewed saffron until it reaches your desired color. Add vegetable oil and stir.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt mixture to the cooked fillets and stir. Set aside.

Keep the remaining to mix with the rice.

Step 5: Mixing Rice with the Sauce and Simmering Tahchin

Pour some oil into a pot and put it over medium heat.Mix the rice with the yogurt mixture.

Put ½ saffron rice into the pot and form a clean layer with the back of a spoon.

Add the chicken fillets on top, then add the rest of the rice and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Wrap the lid with a clean cotton towel. Cover the pot. Simmer the rice over medium-low heat for 1h.

Step 6: Preparing Garnish

In a small pan melt some butter and saute the almonds for 1-2minutes. Set aside.

Melt some butter and saute the pistachios for 1-2 minutes. Set aside.

Melt some butter, add the barberries, sugar and brewed saffron. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes and set aside.

Step 7: Serve

Turn off the heat. Turn the rice out into a big platter by inverting the pot. Garnish with barberries,slivered almonds and pistachios, yogurt, and fresh herbs.

Serve with Shirazi salad.

Useful links:

Delicious Iranian Side Dishes

Different types of Tadig

How to brew saffron?