Rice is a staple of Persian cuisine. Making good rice to accompany Persian curries is actually relatively easy, but here are some tips to help you make perfect Persian rice every time.
To make Persian rice you need to wash and then soak the rice in cold water overnight with a teaspoon of salt. Then fill a pan with water and set it on heat to come to a boil. Add rice and wait till the pot boils again. Let it boils for about three minutes and then drain. Put a clean pot on low heat. Add two tablespoons of oil, two tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, salt and pepper and wait until hot. Add rice and form it into a dome shape in the pan. Cover with cloth and put the lid firmly on top to ensure no steam escapes from the pan. Depending on the amount or rice, it takes between 25 to 49 minutes for the rice to cook properly. To check if the rice is done do not open the lid, as this would allow the steam to leave the pan. Instead slightly wet your finger and touch the side of the hot pan for a second. If it sizzles, your rice is ready.

1. To make your rice very white you can add a couple table spoons of yoghurt to the boiling water after adding the rice.
2. If your rice looks overcooked, add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
3. If you accidentally burn your rice a little, cover the surface of the pan with bread and remove the bread before serving. This removes the burned smell. You can also peel an onion and insert it in the slightly burned rice to eliminate the odor.
4. If your dry rice has a funny smell in its container you can spread the rice in a big tray and leave it out for two days and the smell will go away. Make sure not to do this in a sunny area as sunshine can break up the rice.

/J