Traditional Iranian Vegan Cuisine, Part 2 of 2 – Tahchin (Savory Rice Cake)

Today, Ms. Baaran will show us how to make a vegan version of Tahchin, another delicious traditional Iranian dish. Tahchin is a savory rice cake; it's stuffed with ingredients that are not only flavorful but also full of nutrients. The main spice in this dish is saffron, which is mainly produced in Iran. Its vibrant color is used as a coloring, and it has a unique fragrance that makes a dish more appealing. "For vegan Tahchin, we need 500 grams of rice. I soaked 500 grams of rice in water, cooked it for 10 minutes, and then strained it." "We have about 400 grams of thick vegan yogurt. And one unpeeled eggplant, which I’ve cut into smaller pieces." "We add soy sauce and also herbal salt to the soy protein." "Now I am ready to mix all of them together in order to incorporate the soy sauce and herbal salt into the soy protein." "We add oil to our pan and heat it up until it’s hot, and then we add the soy protein and fry it until it’s cooked." "We add the eggplant to the pan. This is the eggplant that we’ve cut into smaller pieces. Then we add a bit of water into the pan and then add the hot pepper." "Mix everything together and add a bit of water to it; a little more water, not too much. Then put on the lid and leave it to cook in its own steam." "Now, we add our vegan yogurt into a big bowl that we have here. Then we add in our spices, some pepper, curry powder, hot pepper paste, and some oil. Now it’s time to add the saffron liquid to it." "We gradually add the pre-cooked rice into the bowl and let the vegan yogurt be absorbed." "I will add some coconut oil to the bottom of the pot." "The inside of our pot is completely oiled; it is a mixture of oil and saffron liquid. Now the pot is ready for the rice and the other ingredients. First, we add a layer of rice, to which we’ve press down to the bottom of the pot. Then we add our soy protein on top of that. It’s best that the soy protein doesn’t stick to the sides of the pot. Then add another layer of rice, and we press everything down again. Now it’s time to add our eggplant mixture to it." "Then add another layer of rice, and it covers the last layer. Our Tahchin is now ready to be cooked for one hour." "This dish is good for celebrations because it has a beautiful appearance."