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Kateh
Kateh (کته): Caspian everyday butter rice with a golden crust
Along the Caspian coast in Gilan and Mazandaran, kateh is the daily rice: no par-boiling and draining as in Tehran's chelow, just rice, water, salt and butter cooked together until the water vanishes and the grains settle into a soft, slightly sticky cake with a golden crust underneath. Northern families eat it at almost every meal with fish, mirza ghasemi or baghala ghatogh, and children love the buttery bottom. The common mistake is lifting the lid and stirring once the water has been absorbed, which breaks the grains and stops the crust forming. Chef's tip: use a heavy non-stick pot and add the butter only after the water has boiled down; it seeps through and fries the base.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 14 oz basmati or Caspian rice, 2 ¾ cups water, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy non-stick pot and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, uncovered.
5 minStep 2: Boil without stirring until the water has sunk below the surface of the rice and small craters appear, about 8–10 minutes.
9 minStep 3: Dot the 1 ⅜ oz butter over the top and poke a few holes to the bottom with the handle of a wooden spoon. Wrap the lid in a tea towel and cover tightly.
2 minStep 4: Cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes until the rice is tender and you hear a gentle crackle from the base.
25 minStep 5: Set the pot in a few centimetres of cold water in the sink for 1 minute to loosen the crust, then turn it out onto a plate like a cake, crust side up, or spoon out and serve the crust separately.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kateh take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of basmati or caspian rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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