Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 cups Egyptian rice
1 litre whole fresh dairy milk
2 chicken bouillons
1/2 cup pouring cream
1/8 eshta baladi (fresh milk cream)
50 gm butter
Salt (tiny pinch) + pepper
Method:
Wash rice well. Drain. Place in a two-litre capacity tagine. In a medium pan, bring the milk to a boil; stirring constantly for seven to ten minutes. Within the process of boiling, add salt, pepper and bouillons; to dissolve while stirring. Add butter at the last minute; to melt in heat. Remove from heat and immediately pour over rice in tagine. Cover tagine at least for one hour. This step allows the rice grains to impregnate with the milk and butter mixture, while at the same time, eliminates sogginess as well. When ready to bake, stir from bottom to top, by means of a metal ladling spoon; in case some rice is stuck at the bottom of the tagine. Pour the cream over. Scatter tiny pieces of eshta all over top of tagine. Stir to mix. Place tagine, uncovered, on the middle shelf of a preheated oven, at 200 degrees C. When top reaches a golden brown colour, the rice is then done; (approximately 75 to 90 minutes). Remove carefully from oven; it is piping hot. Allow to slightly cool down and rest; almost for 10 minutes. Serve aside of grilled or fried meat or chicken and a rich salad.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 14 April, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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