Savoury mini rice cake

How to make Savoury mini rice cake

1. Preparing Sour cherries & meat balls: You can easily buy frozen/pitted sour cherries from most Persian shops these days but if you are making this in season and using fresh sour cherries then make sure they are pitted first and then cook them in sugar and butter for about 15 minutes on a low-mid heat. Once the sugar is dissolved and cherries have released their juice turn the heat off and set aside. For Meatballs, mix the minced meat with one egg, salt and pepper, grated onions, and garlic powder, shape them in to 2cm mini balls, then fry them with onions and a dash of saffron in a separate pan and set aside.

2. Wash the rice thoroughly and once the water is clear. Bring to boil about one litre of water in a pot. add a dash of salt and oil and then add the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and par-cook the rice until it’s al-dente & aromatic, this will take about 7-10 mins. Drain the rice and excess water through a strainer, rinse and pour some cold water over it so it will stop the cooking process.

3. Divide the par cooked rice in to three equal bowls. To the first rice bowl add one egg yolks, 2 tbsp of Greek style yogurt and 2 tbsp bloomed saffron and mix well with rice, so the rice become vibrant yellow colour. To the second rice bowl add the sour cherry mixture made earlier, make sure its warm, so it will mix with rice easily. Don’t add the meat balls and keep It for later. In the Third bowl, add the chopped herbs and mix, this one is Norouz Traditional dish called Sabzi pilaf. Don’t add the fish and keep it for later.

4. Assembling the mini rice cakes: To turn this flavoured colourful rice into mini rice cakes, I would recommend using two separate Muffin oven tins/Cupcake trays. Use one for Sour cherry & saffron ones and the other one for Sabzi polo & saffron rice cakes. Melt down 4tbsp butter and generously butter up each mould with a brush in both trays. If you wish to be healthier you can use a sprayable butter instead. In the first tray, add a tbsp of the saffron rice in each mould, this is going to be the top golden crusty layer when you flip it over. Then Place one meat ball in the middle and the top the rest of each mould with sour cherry rice we made earlier. In the second tray, again add a tbsp of the saffron rice in each mould for the top golden crust. add a small piece of fried seabass we made earlier in the middle and Then top the rest of each mould with herby rice. Cover both Tins/Trays with Aluminium foil and bake them in a preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes at 180’C. When they are ready, put a square serving plater over the tins/trays and flip them over so the bottom of the tray looks up. Gently remove the moulds and they are ready to go! You can Garnish the sour cherry one with meat balls and some small mint leaves & the Sabzi polo with small pieces of fried fish or cauliflower pickles and coriander leaf. These can be served in large round trays accompanied by Garlic or vegetable pickles and some fresh herbs .