Vermicelli Rice from Afghanistan

Noodles have been used to boil Vermicelli Rice from Afghanistan for centuries, and medieval cookbooks use the word “recital,” which means thread in Persian. This rice comes in two varieties. The easier version is the one below, while the more difficult meat version is in the following recipe. The combination of sweet and salty flavors makes both interesting. The beef version produces an exquisite one-pot meal, while the simpler one is great served with stews or grilled or roasted meats.

Both of these are recipes that I modified from Helen Saberi’s Afghan Food & Cookery. This rice pairs well with many Persian khoresht, including Persian Quince Stew, Iranian Mixed-Herb Lamb Stew, Persian Lamb and Eggplant Stew, and Persian Yellow Split Pea Stew.

SERVES: 4–6

Ingredients:

• Two and a half cups (500 g) of long-grain rice, rinsed and soaked in slightly salted water for thirty minutes with sea salt.
• a half-cup (125 milliliters) of vegetable-based oil.
• 250 grams, or 9 ounces split into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces of vermicelli.
• 200 grams, or 1 cup unrefined cane sugar.
• A good pinch of threads from saffron.
• forty grams, or ¼ cup chopped almonds (40 g) and ¼ cup of slivered pistachios.

DIRECTIONS:

Empty the rice. Fill a big pot with 6 cups (1.5 liters) of water and place over medium-high heat until it boils. After adding one tablespoon of salt and draining the rice, cook for three minutes. Empty the rice. Set aside 1/4 of the rice and move the rest into a Dutch oven (or other oven-safe pot). Cover the lid with a fresh dishtowel. Lay on top of the pot and reserve.

Cook On Slow Heat.

In a skillet over medium heat, heat ¼ cup (60 ml) of the oil. When the vermicelli is lightly browned, add it and sauté it for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat.

Set oven temperature to 300°F, or 150°C.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with a scant cup (225 ml) of water. Transfer to a medium-high heat source and continue to bubble until a thin syrup forms. Stir in the almonds, pistachios, saffron, and fried vermicelli. Place a generous portion of the set-aside rice into the sieve, followed by a generous portion of the vermicelli and nut blend. Once you’ve used up all of the reserved rice and nut/syrup combination, keep layering. Don’t worry about the rice getting overly sweet; the majority of the syrup will evaporate.

Pour over the rice in the Dutch oven after combining the remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) oil, ⅓ cup (80 ml) water, and a little pinch of salt. After giving it a quick swirl, spread the vermicelli rice out over half of the plain rice without mixing it in. Refit the lid onto the pot after unwrapping it. When the oven is hot, place the Dutch oven inside and steam the rice for forty-five minutes.

Transfer the vermicelli rice to a platter for serving. Spoon the plain rice onto a sizable serving dish. Serve hot, scattering the vermicelli rice on top.