In Episode #40, co-hosts Bita and Beata talk about a very specific tool used to make the perfect steamed Persian rice and the crispiest tahdig. It’s called a “damkoni” in Farsi and it is the bonnet that fits over the lid of a pot of cooking rice. This episode is part of the summer “Micro” series of the Modern Persian Food podcast.
What is damkoni?
- Special covering that goes over a pot of rice and wraps up and over the lid of the pot to hold in steam
- Helps to make a perfect fluffy Persian rice (listen to episode #3 dedicated entirely to cooking Persian rice) as well as a crispy, golden tahdig (listen to episode #11 tahdig for more details on making various types of tahdig)
What can be used as a “damkoni”?
- Tea towel
- Paper towels
- Special rice specific bonnet - premade or homemade
How to use:
- Bonnet - cover the lid of the rice pot like a hat or bonnet
- Paper towel (s) - fold up paying special attention that none of the towel is close to the burners and heat source
- Tea towels - place over the pot, place lid of the pot securely over the pot and the towel, and fold the corners up like a present - steam or “dam” in Farsi the rice
A damkoni holds everything in tight! Including the steam which helps to produce a nice fluffy rice and a crispy tahdig.
Ask the Beats!
Bita and Beata are skipping the ask the beats section in the shorter, summer version micro episodes. Be sure to keep the questions, ideas, and topics of interest coming as they will pick up with the segment in the fall.
Resources and recipes from this episode:
All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: https://modernpersianfood.com/episodes/
Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: https://beatseats.com
Co-host Bita Arabian blog: https://ovenhug.com
Podcast production by Alvarez Audio