Pan-Fried Rice Tahdig with Naan Bread Crust

The specialty of Kurdish cuisine, Rice Tahdig, has the perfect texture contrast of fluffy, tender grains and the golden crust of naan bread.

With just a few simple ingredients and our step-by-step tutorial, you'll be able to make and enjoy this easy tahdig dish in a cinch.

Rice is a staple in many cuisines (steamed, cooked, or fried). Such dishes are often on our menu rotation, such as Bosnian one-pot chicken and rice, Indian chicken tikka masala, and Colombian pork and sausage risotto.

Kurdish cuisine is a unique mix of the finest traditions. The rice tahdig has an elegant, fluffy texture contrast with its hard golden crusts identifying it as one traditional dish among many others in this rich culture's library.

What is Tahdig?

Meaning "the bottom of the pot" in Persian (tah meaning "bottom" and dig "pot"), tahdig is the perfect blend of fluffy and buttery rice, with a golden crust at the bottom.

The hardened base variations include:

• Crisp, scorched rice.
• Bread - naan, lavash, tortilla, or regular bread.
• Potatoes
• Vegetables and even lettuce.

Sometimes called pilaf or pilau tahdig, this rice dish is a specialty of Iranian cuisine and probably the most essential dish across Persia and Kurdistan.

📃 Why it Works

• This side dish uses only 4-5 simple ingredients.
• It's the perfect substitute for plain cooked rice.
• Tahdig is easier to make than you think.
• It's an impressive looking side dish for a special dinner.
• The crispy naan bread is absolutely irresistible.
• You can easily customize it.
• It's a perfect side to almost any entrée.

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

• Rice - We used (Royal) Basmati, but Jasmine works well too. You can also mix them, using an equal amount of both.
• Naan bread - Homemade naan is the best, but we also love Stonefire naan, which also works great as a pizza crust. You can use lavash bread or tortilla instead (even the slices of toast bread will work in a pinch), but I favor the naan bread's thickness and texture. So good!
• Oil - Vegetable or canola oil.
• Caraway seeds - This is optional, but I highly suggest using it. Caraway gives the dish a delicious but subtle flavor that will certainly leave you asking for more. It's also a great addition to cabbage and potato dishes.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1

Rinse Basmati with warm water until the water runs clear. Cover the grains with water and let soak for about 15 minutes; drain.

Step 2

• Meanwhile, in a medium-size saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add Basmati to the boiling water. Cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
• Drain it again and leave it in the sieve for a few minutes. Mix in caraway seeds if using.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat one tablespoon of oil.

Step 4

Remove from the heat and cover the bottom of the pan with naan bread pieces.

Step 5

Gently spoon the cooked Basmati over naan bread, but do not press down.

Using a wooden spoon handle, poke a few holes in it. Cover the pan with a paper towel and lid, and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Step 6

In the meantime, heat the remaining oil over high heat until it starts smoking. Pour hot oil slowly over the rice tahdig.

Step 7

Place a paper towel over the pan and cover it with a lid. Cook on the lowest setting for about 5 minutes.

• If you're using Iranian rice, make sure to soak it overnight. It has a different texture than Basmati, which only needs about 15 minutes to soak.
• Washing and rinsing grains helps to get rid of extra starch. Don't skip this part!
• We are only par-boiling it for the first time. Don't overcook it, as we are cooking it again. It is completely cooked when it floats to the surface. You want a soft edge and a firm middle when you cut grain in half with your finger.
• Make sure your pan is large enough to place a whole naan bread on the bottom. You can tear the bread into pieces instead of slicing it into wedges.
• Spread the oil to cover the entire bottom of your pan, so your tahdig is crispy all over.
• It's best to use a non-stick pan. Dutch ovens are not suitable for this recipe as they retain too much moisture.
• Placing a paper towel on the pot in the last step is very important (even double or triple the layers). It absorbs the moisture, the key to fluffy grains. Alternatively, you can wrap your lid into a kitchen (tea) towel or put it into a fabric bowl cover.

🍽 How To Serve It

To serve, spoon the rice tahdig onto a serving plate and arrange bread pieces around or on top.

This dish can elevate many entrees. Here are some ideas:

1. Hearty Stews - I'd certainly serve it with this chicken stew or on the side of German beef stew and these zucchini lasagna rolls in a meat sauce.
2. Grilled meats and roasts - like vegetables, lamb, chicken, beef, and pork (although most Iranians don't eat pork).

👉 Variations

• Add a pinch of saffron threads to the pot with boiling Basmati or sprinkle a dash of saffron powder on top once serve it. Alternatively, you can add it to half the rice tahdig and then mix it with the other half to achieve bi-colored grains.
• You can mix aromatic Persian Advieh spice into the tahdig.
• Use lavash bread or tortilla instead of naan.
• For a gluten-free option, use thinly sliced potatoes. Here's the full recipe.
• If you prefer less starch, make this version with scorched Basmati as tahdig.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in October 2015 and updated in November of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.