Well done!!! I'm an Iranian woman.. this is a stable in our home. Iranians don't make gravy. However, it's a creative recipe , and it looks good. We only use "zereshk" barbarries heated lightly in butter and saffron with a teaspoon of sugar to balance the sourness of barries, we add pistachio & almond slivers and a tablespoon of rosewater. This is a garnish. Some people like to put a layer of this garnish on the chicken, too. We also grind saffron in sugar, not salt. Chicken is cooked with turmeric and safron with juice of half a lemon. This is after browning it the way you did. With one big onion not browned, which is removed after. The yogurt mixture is correct. I like to add reduced chicken broth to it, too. Sorry if i went off with the corrections... I hope you try this way sometime.
I think it's mostly a family thing. My family's Tahchin uses chicken breast for example even though I kinda suggest them to try chicken thighs sometime.
This is pretty legit. The only "critique" I have is that you forgot turmeric. EVERY protein in Iran is cooked with turmeric, especially chicken. So you should add some after you fried your onions and before adding the water and saute it for just 30 seconds or so. We are so used to having turmeric with any kind of meet that most people feel the meet stinks if you don't saute it with turmeric before cooking. I have never actually cooked it with a gravy side. This inspired me to cook my next Tahchin with some gravy.
Oh that's interesting! We've definitely used turmeric in most of our Iranian dishes, this one it was used only a few times in our research. I will keep it in mind in the future.
If you want, you can take the skin off and cut it into strips or small pieces, then gently cook on low to make a crispy, flavorful topping to serve. You can also add these little flavor bombs back into the chicken filling
Woooow this looks absolutely incredible. Can’t wait to try it! I feel like you guys really set us up for success with your tips on rice choice and pan choice etc. loving your work!
I think @ethdow6817 is referring to Kitab al-Tabikh. There's a cookbook by the same name from the 10th century and one from the 13th century. Hard to find online, but I somehow managed to track down a pdf that's entirely in Arabic. I can send it to you if you'd like. Amazing video, as always!!! @@MiddleEats
I remembering ordering this dish in a restaurant when I was little. It was really good but it was also alot and I couldn’t finish it. Now that I realize how much work and ingredients it requires, I feel guilty for not finishing off my dish🌷
Great video and technique, however a few pointers if I may. Only parcook the rice in the first boiling step. Do not use boiling hot wqater for saffron, if you have time put a few ice cube in the mortar and pestle and let it melt, you will get better color and aroma, if you don’t have as much time just use cold water. And I’m sure it’s tasty but I have not seen this gravy ever before.
If you can find unsweetened cranberries, that could work, or dried sour cherries. Yotam Ottolenghi recommends soaking currants in lemon juice as an acceptable alternative.
Finally actually got round to making this and it turned out really well! There’s some small adjustments I need to make (to fit my kitchen but also in seasoning the rice boiling water for extra salt), but for a first go I’m really happy with how it turned out. A lot of cooking time required and quite involved but ultimately not that expensive and I think with some day-ahead prep would be perfect for a Middle Eastern dinner party (who’d have thunk it?). Thanks for posting this guys!!
I thought exactly this. My dad will be pleased to see it get some use, and given how unused it is, the nonstick will be in tip-top shape. I also own the same tall Kuhn Rikon pot these guys use in their recipes and it really helps me be confident in the measures and guidance when I’m working with exactly the same kit!
That looks outstanding, something to cook once I finally have work again and can afford going a bit more wild with dishes. Also don't think I didn't notice the Ragusea knife, very sneaky angle there showing the logo like that, I'd be worried about the way you cut into it but it looked so soft!
This is a spectacular dish & you made an excellent job of it. I can see I'm going to have to make it again very soon as my stomach is loudly growling to tell me to do so. 🥘
Nice. Long live you hands chef.. Thanks for the lovely video and great recipe. How do feel about adding a little amount of crushed brown sugar instead if salt to the zereshk and saffron on top of the rice at the end? I hear it's adds a signature taste and most persian chefs do that. All the best
I've always been tempted to make this but worried about getting the rice crust right. Your recipes are usually pretty foolproof so it might be time to give it a go.
The crust is difficult, however with the right pan/pot and technique it will turn out great. It could also go back in to the oven once flipped for further browning but that wasn't necessary
Looks great! I’m surprised the skin gets discarded though - that’s a lot of the browning in the bin. I get skin can be a bit grim to eat in chunks, but I’d probably cut it up small and include it in the chicken mix. Edit: I’m gonna have to make this as soon as I’ve got time away from work. It looks like a dreamy combination of tahdig and biryani, what more could you ask for? (Vegetables I guess)
@@MiddleEatsyes, of course, and your commitment to authenticity is part of what makes your channel so great - please don’t read that comment as any criticism on what you guys do! I appreciate food approaches are different around the world for a lot of complex reasons and I’m sure there’s reasons for discarding the skin that make sense within this cuisine. I think I’m partly surprised because I normally expect European/western recipes to be the ones that ‘waste’ the skin and such. Thanks again for the great content!
So glad for a nice big meal i can put away for something(say easter). I have missed you of late because of my own health problems. Though as a bonus? result i need to put back on a lot of weight, so cooking everything i want is becoming fun. Thanks very much as always for the great recipes!
Hey Ken! Great video -- have you tried putting the carnitas back into the air fryer to crisp? Curious if you have a preference between that or frying them in the cast iron (or even putting the cast iron into the air fryer 😵💫)
If I don't have a nonstick cooking vessel as deep as the one you seem to have do you think it would be better to have a wider but shallower cooking vessel that's non-stick, or a stainless steel cooking vessel that isn't nonstick and has steep sides instead of curved?
When you salt the onions it draws out the juices; those juices deglaze and release all that brown lusciousness from the browned chicken to mix with the onions.
@@kimquinn7728salt draws out the water, letting more of the onion to go over the boiling temp and allow for the maillard reaction to take place, which only occurs after water is gone. Leading to browning and getting the tasty caramelised onion flavour. 😊
Saffron imparts lots of flavor, it is not there just for the color. Do not use colouring, do not use turmeric. Go full saffron to understand the dish for the first time, afterwards use whatever you like.
I LOVE tahdig, but have admittedly been too intimidated to try it myself. I've gotta make this though! Every element is flavorful: chicken tossed in a tangy, chicken gravy, the Greek yogurt/saffron/butter in the rice....sounds absolutely amazing! Props too. Yours looked flawless.
Tahdig and tahchin are not the same. Tahdig means the bottom of the pot. Tahchin means arranging on the bottom of the pot. Tahdig can be the crispy rice in the bottom of any persian dish. Tahchin is a distinct dish itself, the one shown in the video.
If you're really pressed to achieve that golden, yellow color but don't want to break the bank, you could probably get away with substituting the saffron with annatto seeds.
Tried to make this today. Mine tasted a lot worse than it looked. After so much hassle, I expected a much richer flavor overall. Not sure what went wrong, but it was like a bland version of a chicken biryani with lots of extra steps that mainly contribute to the looks. The rice didn't really get to absorb any flavours from the meat. Maybe it's just not my kind of dish.
*As an Iranian woman I can say you made this Tahchin perfectly! Thanks* 😊👍🏻❤👏🏻😍
Is there any substitute for saffron? Where I live is impossible to find
@@priscillad8maybe turmeric for the yellow color but it'll give different flavour too
@@marwa6664 thank you so much
@@priscillad8 Use turmeric powder, about a quarter teaspoon for the amount of rice shown in the video. You won't taste it once the dish is cooked.
Thank you! It took a few tries to get the recipe right, but it was soo worth it!
Well done!!! I'm an Iranian woman.. this is a stable in our home. Iranians don't make gravy. However, it's a creative recipe , and it looks good. We only use "zereshk" barbarries heated lightly in butter and saffron with a teaspoon of sugar to balance the sourness of barries, we add pistachio & almond slivers and a tablespoon of rosewater. This is a garnish. Some people like to put a layer of this garnish on the chicken, too.
We also grind saffron in sugar, not salt.
Chicken is cooked with turmeric and safron with juice of half a lemon. This is after browning it the way you did. With one big onion not browned, which is removed after.
The yogurt mixture is correct. I like to add reduced chicken broth to it, too.
Sorry if i went off with the corrections... I hope you try this way sometime.
I have to try this it sound so delicious Thank you
I think it's mostly a family thing. My family's Tahchin uses chicken breast for example even though I kinda suggest them to try chicken thighs sometime.
It's one of my favorite foods, sometimes with a side of fried eggplant. I love it.
That's sounds like the perfect side for this! 😋
This is pretty legit. The only "critique" I have is that you forgot turmeric. EVERY protein in Iran is cooked with turmeric, especially chicken. So you should add some after you fried your onions and before adding the water and saute it for just 30 seconds or so.
We are so used to having turmeric with any kind of meet that most people feel the meet stinks if you don't saute it with turmeric before cooking.
I have never actually cooked it with a gravy side. This inspired me to cook my next Tahchin with some gravy.
Oh that's interesting! We've definitely used turmeric in most of our Iranian dishes, this one it was used only a few times in our research. I will keep it in mind in the future.
One of the best Iranian dishes. I love it so much.
If you want, you can take the skin off and cut it into strips or small pieces, then gently cook on low to make a crispy, flavorful topping to serve. You can also add these little flavor bombs back into the chicken filling
Sounds good! I love crispy chicken skin
Woooow this looks absolutely incredible. Can’t wait to try it! I feel like you guys really set us up for success with your tips on rice choice and pan choice etc. loving your work!
Thanks! It's always our aim to give you the information you need to recreate it perfectly!
Looks incredible. And yet again, a superbly produced video. 👏👏
I neeeeed to try this next time at a restaurang 🙈 since Im not native Irani and too green in the kitchen of Persien food. But I love the flavours!
I really appreciate that you keep even these more complex recipe videos under 10mins long! 💜
4:55 "you can...leave it out" my entire lineage screamed through me at this. Don't leave it out.
Tahchin, I’m very impressed!
Highly recommended. Might be a bit complex but worth it
You are one of the best TH-camrs out there. Thanks for the another excellent video
So I have a YT save list for Food...and fully half of it is just Middle Eats videos. This one got added almost before I finished watching. 🤭
♥Considering how long some of these recipes take, it will never get much shorter
Same for me. 😂
And me! ✋🏼☺️
I saw Beryl Shrewesky's somewhat failed attempt at making this, it's so cool to see it made perfectly!
What video was that?
I saw that, too. She should have used a nonstick pan. But she did follow the recipe correctly
This looks very authentic. Thanks for sharing recipes from my culture. Fun fact the first Tahchin recipe is recorded in a cookbook from 13th century.
Wow that's a cool fact, do you have the name of this cookbook?
I think @ethdow6817 is referring to Kitab al-Tabikh. There's a cookbook by the same name from the 10th century and one from the 13th century. Hard to find online, but I somehow managed to track down a pdf that's entirely in Arabic. I can send it to you if you'd like. Amazing video, as always!!! @@MiddleEats
@@cynthiahannaI have the original recipe book recorded in Persian.
Tahchin is the quintessential Persian dish, showcasing the central qualities of the Persian cuisine: simplicity, fragrance, and harmony of flavors.
this is an instant "i gotta make this" looks absolutely incredible
I love Iranian food Iranian people Iranian culture ❤❤❤❤
I remember several years back us talking in the comment section of one of your videos about you eventually wanted to tackle tahdig!
Yeah, I remember that too, he asked what he should cook next and we were like - go Persian! And he was like - I'm not ready just yet, but someday!
😄
Haha yeah, Persian recipes are always so good, but it can be a challenge finding the sources to learn the recipes. Glad we finally got there!
I was taught to make this dish from an Iranian friend many years ago and it's a family favorite!
I remembering ordering this dish in a restaurant when I was little. It was really good but it was also alot and I couldn’t finish it. Now that I realize how much work and ingredients it requires, I feel guilty for not finishing off my dish🌷
Great video and technique, however a few pointers if I may. Only parcook the rice in the first boiling step. Do not use boiling hot wqater for saffron, if you have time put a few ice cube in the mortar and pestle and let it melt, you will get better color and aroma, if you don’t have as much time just use cold water. And I’m sure it’s tasty but I have not seen this gravy ever before.
I made this for the first time, and changed it to a vegetarian (not vegan) dish, and it was amazing. Great recipe. Thanks.
this guy is incredible
This and the veggie cabbage spring rolls are two show-stoppers that are on my bucket list. I just need a full day off to cook them. Looks delicious.
That looks insanely delicious. I guess I’ll need to make this since it’s impossible to find a Persian restaurant that serves this near me!
This dish is legit incredible.
Btw what barberry alternative do you recommend for the dish? I can't find them where I live. The rest is doable.
If you can find unsweetened cranberries, that could work, or dried sour cherries. Yotam Ottolenghi recommends soaking currants in lemon juice as an acceptable alternative.
If you can't find the berries you suggest, what would be a good alternative? How do cranberries compare in flavor?
Finally actually got round to making this and it turned out really well! There’s some small adjustments I need to make (to fit my kitchen but also in seasoning the rice boiling water for extra salt), but for a first go I’m really happy with how it turned out. A lot of cooking time required and quite involved but ultimately not that expensive and I think with some day-ahead prep would be perfect for a Middle Eastern dinner party (who’d have thunk it?). Thanks for posting this guys!!
Finally a good use for that fussy "Always" pan my daughter bought me for Christmas!
This looks delicious.
I thought exactly this. My dad will be pleased to see it get some use, and given how unused it is, the nonstick will be in tip-top shape.
I also own the same tall Kuhn Rikon pot these guys use in their recipes and it really helps me be confident in the measures and guidance when I’m working with exactly the same kit!
Approved brother!! From iran.❤
You could use ice with saffron for better results.
When should you add the rice, during the grinding stage or after grinding?
@@TalEdds ice instead of hot water on saffron ,other steps are all right
Thank you!
this looks absolutely divine why am i watching this before breakfast
You can use tumeric in place of food coloring to make any rice yellow. You only need a little bit and it won't make it taste like tumeric
That looks outstanding, something to cook once I finally have work again and can afford going a bit more wild with dishes.
Also don't think I didn't notice the Ragusea knife, very sneaky angle there showing the logo like that, I'd be worried about the way you cut into it but it looked so soft!
This looks superb. I am going to attempt this very soon. Love your recipes, all successes so far so fingers crossed when I make this one.
Holy moly that looks amazing.
This is a spectacular dish & you made an excellent job of it. I can see I'm going to have to make it again very soon as my stomach is loudly growling to tell me to do so. 🥘
That does look fantastic. I definitely want to try my hand at making that.
I've got to try that. It looks absolutely delicious. 🤤
Just listening to this while working is making me SERIOUSLY hungry! 😋
Oh man this looks beautiful. If you were doing this in a cast iron pan (closest thing I have to non-stick) would you reduce the cooking time? Or temp?
You might be able to, cast iron takes longer to heat up, but can retain the heat very well. Best to be cautious, to not burn it.
I would reduce the first cook a bit, and check how the sides look. Once it has released from the walls, then do the browning step
Nice. Long live you hands chef.. Thanks for the lovely video and great recipe. How do feel about adding a little amount of crushed brown sugar instead if salt to the zereshk and saffron on top of the rice at the end? I hear it's adds a signature taste and most persian chefs do that. All the best
Wow!! That looks like a masterpiece...How come I have never tried this before
This guy is amazing cook
That looks like a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
You have nailed this!
I've always been tempted to make this but worried about getting the rice crust right. Your recipes are usually pretty foolproof so it might be time to give it a go.
The crust is difficult, however with the right pan/pot and technique it will turn out great. It could also go back in to the oven once flipped for further browning but that wasn't necessary
Awesome recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Looks great! I’m surprised the skin gets discarded though - that’s a lot of the browning in the bin. I get skin can be a bit grim to eat in chunks, but I’d probably cut it up small and include it in the chicken mix.
Edit: I’m gonna have to make this as soon as I’ve got time away from work. It looks like a dreamy combination of tahdig and biryani, what more could you ask for? (Vegetables I guess)
Definitely can do, we try to stick as close to the original recipe as possible, but you can feel free to do that. Someone suggested crisping it up too
@@MiddleEatsyes, of course, and your commitment to authenticity is part of what makes your channel so great - please don’t read that comment as any criticism on what you guys do! I appreciate food approaches are different around the world for a lot of complex reasons and I’m sure there’s reasons for discarding the skin that make sense within this cuisine. I think I’m partly surprised because I normally expect European/western recipes to be the ones that ‘waste’ the skin and such.
Thanks again for the great content!
@@fabe61Persians dont eat the skin on the chicken.
This looks incredible! I'm going to make it for my birthday dinner. 😁
Thank you!
My mouth is watering so much
That looks really nice, I'll try it.
Oh this looks so good!
I’m making this for Thanksgiving
So glad for a nice big meal i can put away for something(say easter). I have missed you of late because of my own health problems. Though as a bonus? result i need to put back on a lot of weight, so cooking everything i want is becoming fun. Thanks very much as always for the great recipes!
That looks great. I need to make this.
Thank you so much ❤
This looks amazing, what would you serve it with to complete the meal? Thanks ❤
LOOKS GREAT !!
That looks amazing and delicious 😋 ❤
That looks sooooo good !
How many people can you feed with this recipe? 8/10 ?
I would say you get at least 9 portions, depends how big you cut each slice
Amazing! can we put butter paper at the bottom of the pan for easy unmolding? ( if I do not want to use non-stick?
Hey Ken! Great video -- have you tried putting the carnitas back into the air fryer to crisp? Curious if you have a preference between that or frying them in the cast iron (or even putting the cast iron into the air fryer 😵💫)
Gonna try this recipe
Looks fab. Yummy!!
We Cook it only for Holidays and Party's this is why take a lot of time to Cook
It makes me want to learn Persian language 😅
You could've added a bit of turmeric when frying the onions
That look absolutely fantastic, could you suggest what I should serve it with as a meal, please?
A shirazi salad maybe?
Love this ❤
Watching from kashmir India
What substitute can I use if I don't want to use eggs in the dish
Good Version and ver well donec
If I don't have a nonstick cooking vessel as deep as the one you seem to have do you think it would be better to have a wider but shallower cooking vessel that's non-stick, or a stainless steel cooking vessel that isn't nonstick and has steep sides instead of curved?
Damn this looks sooooo good
Amazing
Makes me think of chicken pot pie, especially with the chicken gravy.
What should I do I my pan is stainless steel instead of non stick? And all I have are currants not barberries 😭
This is a fancy interpretation of what Persian people eat every day, rice with chicken 😃
where do I buy that beautiful pot ❤
Wow, this looks so good, but quite complicated to make 😮
All good things take time and effort 😅
I bought your cookbook and made this recipe!! So perfect except it fell apart when i flipped it.. so sad
Would this work with chicken breast?
OMG, I'm salivating all over the keyboard!
This very complicate recipe...i respect the inventor
7:00 what kind of pan is that?
I want to make this so badly but it's pretty intimidating.
For how many persons is this recipe?
Is it possible to make it without the oven?
Of course
Wow !!!
So glad to see you boiling rice like pasta. That's how I was taught to cook rice more than 50 years ago.
It's not to cook it, it's to just parboil it. The cooking finishes in the oven.
Yeah it works great. Especially for rice dishes where it can be hard to figure out the right amount of water.
What's the reason for salting the onions as you fry them? I've seen some recipes do this but I'm not sure why.
I think it helps draw the water out...
When you salt the onions it draws out the juices; those juices deglaze and release all that brown lusciousness from the browned chicken to mix with the onions.
@@kimquinn7728salt draws out the water, letting more of the onion to go over the boiling temp and allow for the maillard reaction to take place, which only occurs after water is gone. Leading to browning and getting the tasty caramelised onion flavour. 😊
Like others have said, it draws out the liquid. Onions take a couple minutes to release their liquid, so the salt just speeds that process up.
This takes 4-6 hours to make by the way
Saffron imparts lots of flavor, it is not there just for the color. Do not use colouring, do not use turmeric. Go full saffron to understand the dish for the first time, afterwards use whatever you like.
Very true. There is absolutely no substitute for saffron in this dish as it's one of the central ingredients.
Saffron is way too expensive
Im drooling 🤤😂
I LOVE tahdig, but have admittedly been too intimidated to try it myself. I've gotta make this though! Every element is flavorful: chicken tossed in a tangy, chicken gravy, the Greek yogurt/saffron/butter in the rice....sounds absolutely amazing! Props too. Yours looked flawless.
Tahdig and tahchin are not the same. Tahdig means the bottom of the pot. Tahchin means arranging on the bottom of the pot. Tahdig can be the crispy rice in the bottom of any persian dish. Tahchin is a distinct dish itself, the one shown in the video.
Oh my days, this is why I don’t understand how all countries can’t get on. How can you be enemy’s when a country provides food like this?
People will always find a reason to hate.
❤
If you're really pressed to achieve that golden, yellow color but don't want to break the bank, you could probably get away with substituting the saffron with annatto seeds.
Tried to make this today. Mine tasted a lot worse than it looked. After so much hassle, I expected a much richer flavor overall. Not sure what went wrong, but it was like a bland version of a chicken biryani with lots of extra steps that mainly contribute to the looks. The rice didn't really get to absorb any flavours from the meat. Maybe it's just not my kind of dish.