Tahchin Morgh

Tahchin is a baked rice cake made with yoghurt, egg yolk and saffron, filled with tender chicken and barberries and turned out with a crisp golden crust.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 2h 40m
Cook: 1h 35m
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • For the chicken:
  • 600g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ tsp saffron threads, ground and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 20g unsalted butter
  • 40g dried barberries, rinsed
  • For the rice cake:
  • 400g aged basmati rice
  • 3 tbsp fine salt, divided
  • 400g full-fat plain yoghurt
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ½ tsp saffron threads, ground and steeped in 3 tbsp hot water
  • 80g unsalted butter, melted and divided
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

  1. Wash the 400g basmati rice in a large bowl, changing the water 5-6 times until it runs almost clear. Cover with fresh cold water, stir in 1 tbsp salt and soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

  2. Grind the saffron threads to a fine powder in a mortar (a pinch of sugar helps), then stir in the hot water and leave to bloom for at least 15 minutes.

  3. Put the chicken in a pan with the onion, turmeric, 1 tsp salt, pepper and 300ml water. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes until cooked through. Shred the chicken, discarding the onion, and toss with the ¼ tsp saffron water and the reserved cooking liquid, reduced by boiling if needed, so it is moist but not wet.

  4. Melt the 20g butter in a small pan, add the barberries and stir for 1 minute. Stir into the chicken.

  5. Parboil the rice for 5 minutes in 3 litres of water with 2 tbsp salt, then drain and rinse briefly with lukewarm water.

  6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Whisk the yoghurt, egg yolks, 3 tbsp saffron water, 1 tsp salt and 30g of the melted butter together and fold in the rice.

  7. Brush a 24cm ovenproof dish, at least 7cm deep, with melted butter. Press half the rice mixture firmly into the base and up the sides. Add the chicken and barberries in an even layer, then cover with the remaining rice, pressing down firmly and smoothing the top.

  8. Drizzle with the remaining butter. Cover tightly with buttered foil and bake on the lower shelf for 1 hour, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the top is golden.

  9. Rest for 10 minutes, loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a platter. Serve in wedges with yoghurt or a fresh herb salad.