Tacheen dishes are a popular specialty of Persian cuisine. The general term tacheen refers to a variety of dishes with one thing in common: they are all upside down! Half cooked rice and a variety of vegetables, legumes and proteins are arranged at the bottom of a pot in layers and topped with more rice. Then the pot is left on low heat for one hour to let the rice cook and the flavors combine.
Alternatively, for all tacheen dishes, you can use a standard 20x30 non-stick mold that you cover with you foil before you put it in the oven to cook the rice. It is best to choose a mold/cake pan around 5 inches deep to allow some room for steam. Remember to press the rice firmly to ensure proper texture of the cooked rice.

Pan-cooked Chicken Tacheen

This tacheen is cooked in a large saucepan instead of a traditional rice pot.
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
2 cups dry white rice
2 eggs
2 cups yoghurt
2 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion
Steamed saffron
50 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt, pepper and cinnamon powder to taste

How to:

1. Soak dry rice in cold water with a pinch of salt over night. Drain. Cook soaked rice in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, set aside to cool.
2. Boil chicken breast with halved onion and 4 cups of water. Preserve the 2 cups of broth (or use store-bought) shred cooked chicken breast.
3. In a big bowl, whisk together eggs, yoghurt and chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon powder. Add half cooked rice along with the steamed saffron (you want a delightful yellow color. You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder) mix well using a spoon.
4. Set a big saucepan over medium heat. (Make sure to choose a pan with a proper sized lid, this is essential) Add butter and vegetable oil and wait until butter is melted. Add half the rice mixture. Press well into the bottom of the pan. Top with shredded chicken and sprinkle with cinnamon powder. Top with rest of the rice mixture and flatten the top using a spatula.
5. Cover saucepan with cloth and set the lid on. Set on medium heat for 5 minutes until the pan is very hot, then lower the heat and cook for 1 hour or 90 minutes until rice is completely cooked and the bottom turns golden-brown. To check if the rice is done: wet your finger slightly in cold water and quickly touch the side of the saucepan with your finger. If you hear a sizzling sound your rice is ready. Alternatively you can sprinkle a bit of cold water on the side of the pan using a water-spray bottle.
6. To serve: transfer tacheen into a big serving plate same way as you would a cake. You can garnish with a bit of slivered pistachios.

Individual tacheen cups

These delicious little bites are cooked individually for each guest. They make for a lovely presentation and save a lot of time as well because a pan-cooked tacheen needs to be cut into slices before serving. You can simply place each of these individual tacheens on each person's place and add desired side dishes, preferably lightly sautéed vegetables.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry white rice
2 eggs
2 tablespoons steamed saffron
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dripped Greek Yoghurt
1 cup cooked diced chicken breast
Greased muffin tin

How to:

1. Soak dry rice in cold water with a pinch of salt overnight. Bring water to boil in a big sauce pan and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. in a big bowl whisk together eggs, yoghurt, and olive oil. Add diced chicken. Season well with salt and pepper. Add rice along with the steamed saffron and mix well using a spoon. You want a vibrant yellow color. You can add a pinch of turmeric powder as well.
3. Divide the rice mixture between generously greased muffin tins. Press well with back of a spoon to make sure tacheens would not fall apart when removed from the pan.
4. Cook in preheated oven set to 170 degrees centigrade for 30 minutes to cook completely and the bottoms turn golden brown.

Chicken and Mushroom Tacheen

Ingredients:

2 medium chicken breasts
1 medium onion
150 grams mushrooms
1/3 cup dry barberries
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups half cooked rice
2 tablespoons steamed saffron

Vegetable oil for frying

(To make have cooked rice soak rice in cold water overnight with a pinch of salt, drain then cook in boiling water for five minutes, drain and set aside to cool)

How to:

1. Boil chicken breast and halved onion in a saucepan and season with salt, pepper and turmeric powder. Add steamed saffron. Once completely cooked debone chicken and chop to small pieces. Set aside to cool.
2. Sauté chopped mushrooms in a small saucepan over medium heat until golden.
3. In a separate saucepan mix barberries and butter with 1 tablespoon of sugar for two minutes.
4. Add chopped chicken and sugared barberries to the mushroom sauce pan and cook together for a few minutes over low heat.
5. In a big bowl mix together yogurt steamed Zephyr own and egg yolks and whisk well. Add half cooked rice and mix well.
6. Put butter and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and a big shallow saucepan. Wait until the butter is melted and the pan is hot. Press half of the rice mixture into the pan. Top with chicken mixture and press well. Cover to chicken mixture with the rest of the rice and smooth the top using a spatula.
7. Lower the heat and cover the pan with cloth set the lid on and cook for 45 minutes until cooked thoroughly and golden.
8. To serve: transfer rice into a serving plate the same way you would transfer the cake. Garnish with slivered pistachios or slivered almonds or sprinkle with dry barberries. Enjoy!

/J