How it works
What to eat with tahdig? Whatever the rice above it is served with: a Persian stew or a kebab, then yogurt, herbs and pickles. These 39 ideas run from the stews to the grill, cool sides, sweets and drinks.
Read the full guide
Where tahdig sits in an Iranian meal
Tahdig means bottom of the pot. It is the crisp, golden layer that forms under chelow, Iran's plain steamed rice, and it is traditionally served to guests. Some cooks line the pot with thin bread or potato slices, which crisp in its place. Chelow is the rice that goes with a stew or a kebab, so those are the partners of the crust too.
Something wet, something cool
The crust is rich and crunchy. Pair it with a spoonful of stew for sauce, then yogurt, herbs or pickles to freshen the mouth. Add the stew at the table, a piece at a time, so the crunch lasts.
- Break the tahdig into pieces on a plate of its own, so everyone at the table gets a share.
- Sour things suit it: pomegranate, barberries, pickles, a squeeze of lime.
Questions and answers
What do you eat with tahdig?
A Persian stew and the rice from the same pot come first. Kebabs, yogurt with cucumber, fresh herbs and pickles fill the rest of the table.
What stew goes with tahdig?
Any khoresh, the slow-cooked Iranian stews that are served with rice. Herb stew is very commonly served in Iran, split pea stew comes with crisp potatoes on top, and walnut and pomegranate stew is sweet and sour.
What dip goes with tahdig?
Yogurt is the simplest, plain or mixed with cucumber, garlic and mint. Spinach and yogurt, eggplant and whey dip and mixed pickles also sit well beside it. For something hot, dip a piece in the sauce of a stew.
What do you drink with tahdig?
Without alcohol: doogh, a cold savory yogurt drink, or a fruit sharbat with the meal. A cold honey and vinegar drink with mint suits summer, and hot black tea comes afterwards.