Green Rice

By Louisa Shafia

Published September 03, 2010.
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Makes 6 Cups

2 cups long-grain basmati rice

Salt

1 teaspoon saffron threads or powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, green and white parts, finely diced

1 teaspoon dried lime powder, or 1 preserved whole lime

1 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/3 cup minced fresh dill

1 cup shelled, toasted pistachios

1) Put the rice in a large bowl and cover with water. Toss the rice with your hands a few times to remove the starch, and drain. Repeat this process 5 times. Set aside.

2) Pour 3 1/2 cups water into a small pot with a dash of salt and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, put the saffron in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir and set aside.

3) Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the leeks and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice, saffron water, and lime powder or whole preserved lime and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Pour the boiling water over the rice, bring the rice to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. If the whole lime was used, discard.

4) Transfer the rice to a large bowl and fold in the parsley, cilantro, dill, and most of the pistachios. Season with salt. To serve, pile the rice on a platter and scatter a few w pistachio so over the top.


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