Persian Orange and Spice Baked Rice
Photography Josh Griggs.
A cross between a rice pudding and a cake, this fragrant dessert is perfect served warm topped with the berry sauce and cream of choice.
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups long-grain basmati rice, rinsed and drained
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup plain yoghurt
½ cup cream
¼ cup rice bran oil
3 large egg yolks, size 7
2 tablespoons melted butter
⅓ cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon orange flower water
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
To serve
thick plain yoghurt, mascarpone or sour cream
sliced pistachio nuts
Berry Sauce
2 cups frozen boysenberries or blackberries
½ cup dark berry jam
¼ cup water
caster sugar, to taste
METHOD
Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
Put the rice and salt in a large saucepan and cover generously with boiling water. Bring to the boil then cook, uncovered for 10 minutes. The rice should have risen to the surface. Drain and rinse in cold water, then drain well again.
Whisk the yoghurt, cream, oil, yolks, butter, sugar, flower water, zest, vanilla, spices and the salt in a large bowl. Stir in the rice until well combined. Tip into the tin and smooth the top. Cover the tin with foil and bake for 65–70 minutes until firm and the sides are golden. Leave for 10 minutes then run a small knife between the tin and the cake to loosen the sides. Invert on to a serving plate.
To serve: Cut the warm cake into squares and top with your desired cream or yoghurt, berries and pistachios. Serves 8.
Berry Sauce
2 cups frozen boysenberries or blackberries
½ cup dark berry jam
¼ cup water
caster sugar, to taste
Put the boysenberries, jam and water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar to taste, depending if you like a slightly tart or sweeter sauce. Cool.
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