What Is Tahdig And What Does It Taste Like?

Finding new recipes that not only taste great, but prove easy to put together feels harder than expected. When the same run-of-the-mill meals get you down, turning to different world cuisines not only can spice up our life, but help us discover new flavors and cooking techniques we might never otherwise encounter. One unique dish that everyone needs to try comes in the form of tahdig. According to Huffington Post, this Persian dish presents perfectly cooked crispy rice that can go amazingly with anything you can throw at it. The meal's simplicity contains its strength, as it offers up a pan-fried bottom layer with succulent rice, serving up a rare but amazing texture combo.

According to The Mediterranean Dish, tahdig literally translates to "bottom of the pot" from Persian, and when this buttery, fried rice combines with traditional spices like saffron and orange zest, you end up with a staple you could easily eat plates of. Layers of rice, yogurt, and butter cook and steam together, forming a crispy-layered bottom thanks to the fat, while the rest of the pot perfectly cooks the ingredients together. You end up with a unique flavor, partially due to some added cinnamon, cherries, and pistachios, that can stand up against any other entree you pair tahdig up with.

After you end up with your crispy pot of tahdig, you can either dig into the meal or eat it as a side. According to MasterClass, tahdig goes great as an accompaniment to grilled meat and vegetables, fried fish, Persian stews, and even mast-o khiar, a special Persian cucumber yogurt sauce. You don't need a special occasion to eat tahdig, and if you really want to take your dish to the next level, you can layer the bottom of your cooking pot with potatoes for a crispy layer of spuds on your next tahdig and dig in with a side of lavash (via Pretty Please Design).

When you want to impress or just need some comfort food filled with carbs, nothing hits the spot like a plate of tahdig. With an easy cooking method and a taste that even the pickiest eater can love, it's hard to not get excited about trying out this dish next time you want to add a new meal into your weekly routine. For out-of-this-world flavors and textures, make sure to try tahdig next time you feel the urge to try something outside the box.