Main course Persian-inspired
Chickpea and Onion Tachin with Herb Salad
Vegetarian
Editorially prepared
Saffron rice bound with yoghurt, egg yolks and mayonnaise surrounds a filling of chickpeas, golden onions and dried sour cherries. Turning it out reveals the crisp base, while a fresh herb salad adds a lemony finish.
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Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
For a larger batch, increase the surface area of the dish while keeping the layers a similar thickness. A double batch is best baked in two dishes. Fry extra onions in batches; preparation will take longer. Baking time does not scale proportionally — check the colour underneath and the tenderness of the rice.
Substitutions
Substitute amounts are adjusted to your selected servings.
- Instead of pitted dried sour cherriesdried cranberries
Replace the cherries with a similar weight of cranberries. Choose unsweetened or lightly sweetened fruit; heavily sweetened cranberries make the filling noticeably sweeter.
- Instead of vegetable stock pastevegetable stock cube
Use a cube without meat or fish ingredients. Choose a portion according to the concentration and saltiness stated on the packet, crumble finely and add with the spices. Do not assume that a whole cube equals the listed amount of paste.
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Optional ingredients and substitutions
You’ll need
Ovenproof glass dish approximately 20 × 25 cm and at least 5 cm deep · Large frying pan, approximately 28 cm · Approximately 4-litre saucepan and two hob rings · Oven and aluminium foil · Fine sieve and a large tray for cooling the rice · Large mixing bowl, salad bowl and small heatproof cup · Kettle, scales, measuring spoons, knife and chopping board · Whisk, spatula and oven gloves · Large flat serving platter wider than the baking dish
Method
0/12 stepsPrepare the ingredients and saffron
Measure the ingredients. Peel the onions and cut into thin half-moons. Rinse the chickpeas and dry thoroughly. Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs almost clear. Wash and dry the herbs; finely chop half for the filling and reserve the other half in larger leaves for the salad. Halve any larger cherries. Crush the saffron in a cup, add the measured hot water and leave for 10 minutes from pouring, until deeply coloured. Meanwhile, start cooking the onions.
10:00Prepare the ingredients and saffron Brown the onions
Heat the frying oil in the large frying pan, then add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for approximately 18–22 minutes from adding the onions, stirring every few minutes, until soft and golden. Reduce the heat if they darken too quickly; cook for longer if they remain pale and firm. While they cook, start heating the rice water and preheat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan. Continue checking and stirring the onions. Once they are ready, you can start adding the filling ingredients even if the rice is still boiling.
20:00Brown the onions Parboil the rice
While the onions cook, bring a large saucepan of water, roughly two-thirds full, to the boil. Salt the water, add the rinsed rice and stir. Boil uncovered for approximately 6–8 minutes after the water returns to the boil. The grains should be soft outside but distinctly firm in the centre. If they are still hard throughout, continue cooking and check every minute. Do not wait until they are fully cooked.
07:00Parboil the rice Steam-dry and cool the rice
Drain the rice immediately and spread it in a thin layer on a large tray. Leave for approximately 10 minutes from spreading, until it stops steaming and is no warmer than lukewarm. If it is still hot, gently loosen the grains and allow longer. Meanwhile, finish the filling, continuing to watch the frying pan.
10:00Steam-dry and cool the rice Finish the filling
Once the onions are golden, add the cumin, ground coriander, stock paste and chickpeas. Stir thoroughly. Cook over a medium heat for approximately 8 minutes from adding the chickpeas, stirring every few minutes, until they are browned in places and no watery liquid remains in the pan. Between stirring, drain and spread out the rice when it is ready. Reduce the heat if the spices catch. Cook a little longer if necessary. Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries and the chopped half of the herbs. Season with pepper, taste, then decide whether any salt is needed. Set aside until assembly.
08:00Finish the filling Coat the rice in the yoghurt mixture
Towards the end of the rice cooling time, whisk together the yoghurt, egg yolks, mayonnaise, oil allocated to the rice mixture and all the saffron infusion, including the threads, in a large bowl. Add a small pinch of salt and some pepper. Once the rice is no warmer than lukewarm, gently fold it in with a spatula. All the grains should be coated in the yellow mixture but remain intact. Do not add hot rice.
Coat the rice in the yoghurt mixture Layer the tachin
Spread the oil allocated to the dish over its base and sides. Add slightly more than half the rice and press it down evenly, forming a low rim around the sides. Spread the filling in the centre, leaving a narrow border of rice around the edges. Cover with the remaining rice and gently level it to remove large gaps. Cover tightly with foil. Check that the oven has reached the set temperature.
Layer the tachin Bake covered
Place the dish on a shelf slightly below the centre of the preheated oven. Bake covered for approximately 1 hour from putting it in. Check the sides and base through the glass: they should be turning golden and the rice mixture should be set. Then check the rice and finish baking without the foil.
1:00:00Bake covered Finish the crust
Carefully remove the foil, keeping your face away from the steam. Check a few grains from the centre: they should be tender, without a chalky core. If they are hard, cover again and bake for another 10 minutes before checking again. Once the rice is tender, bake uncovered for approximately 10 minutes from removing the foil, until the top dries and the sides and base are clearly golden brown. If the base remains pale, bake in further 5-minute intervals; shield the top if it starts to darken too much.
10:00Finish the crust Rest after baking
Remove the cooked tachin onto a dry heatproof trivet. Leave uncovered for 10 minutes from taking it out, allowing the layers to settle before turning it out. Prepare the salad meanwhile. The bake should remain hot but hold together when the dish is gently moved.
10:00Rest after baking Dress the herb salad
While the tachin rests, mix the lemon juice with the oil allocated to the salad, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Add the reserved half of the herbs and toss gently just before serving, so the leaves are lightly coated without being crushed.
Dress the herb salad Turn out and serve
After resting, gently loosen the edges of the tachin with a thin spatula. Cover the dish with the larger platter. Wearing oven gloves, hold both firmly and invert in one confident movement, then carefully lift off the baking dish. Pile the herb salad in the centre of the golden crust. Cut into portions and serve immediately while the crust is still crisp.
Turn out and serve
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Tips
- Do not fully cook the rice before baking. Each grain should soften on the outside but retain a distinctly firm centre.
- Dry the chickpeas and herbs. Excess water prevents the filling from browning and loosens the rice mixture.
- Use a dish rated for the stated oven temperature. Do not put hot glass on a wet or cold worktop.
- Do not replace saffron with turmeric alone if you want its aroma. Without saffron, the dish will smell different and look paler.
- Dress the salad only while the bake is resting so that the leaves do not wilt.
Storage
Transfer leftover tachin to shallow containers, cool quickly and refrigerate ideally within 1 hour of finishing baking. Eat within 24 hours. Reheat only once, until the whole portion is piping hot and steaming in the centre. Store the salad separately and eat it the same day.
Timing
Hands-on: 1 hr 3 min · Cooking: 1 hr 40 min · Resting: 30 min
The total allows for tasks done in parallel. The individual times can overlap.
