About a year ago I saw a blurb in the Backpacker Magazine about scenic hikes that have wine tasting opportunities near by. One of the three suggested hikes so happened to be in Napa Valley, California. I made a mental note that I’d definitely check it out one of these days. A few months later I started to plan our adventure as a group trip. When I looked up the article again, to put the winery on my itinerary, I realized that it was Chateau Montelena, which is the subject of the movie Bottle Shock.

Fast forward a few more months where plenty of planning took place. Finally a group of us hopped on a rented bus with Napa Valley as our estination! We camped at Bothe-Napa State Park and had a blast visiting wineries, drinking wine, and hanging out.

That brings me to the fact that my friend, and fellow leader of the group, Trent suggested that I make Persian food for one of our dinners. While the idea was fantastic I was a bit apprehensive because feeding fifty hungry campers Persian food made in a campsite is no easy task. But I am not one to turn down any type of challenge so I started strategizing about what to make and how to make it at a campsite.

I finally decided on Jujeh Kabob (Chicken Kabob), Persian Rice with a side of tomato, Anaheim pepper and Mast-o-Khiar.

One of the challenges that I was facing, and the one which worried me the most, was how I was going to make Persian rice. I knew from the beginning that making it the traditional way for that large amount of people at a campsite was out of the question. The next option, cleverly suggested by my friend Annette, was to make it in the Kateh method. At the very last moment I also decided to kick things up a notch and make Saffron Rice. In the end making the rice ended up being the easiest of all.

We grilled a ton of Chicken Kabobs!

A ton of tomatoes!

And some delicious peppers! Of course I had many wonderful helpers who made this amazing dinner happen!
I was pretty happy with the way the food turned out and everyone seemed to enjoy it!
Here is the recipe for the Saffron Rice done the quick way. This method is super easy, all you have to do is load the pot and cook the rice!
Ingredients (serves 6)
3 cups rice
2 tbsp canola oil
3-4 tbsp brewed saffron
2 tsp salt
Wash rice throughly until water runs clear. Place rice in a non-stick pot. Add enough water all the way until the first knuckle of your index finger.
Add canola oil.

Add brewed saffron and salt.

Give it a good stir.

Cover the pot and cook on high until the liquid is absorbed.

Once the water has been absorbed turn the heat down.

Wrap the lid of the pot in a towel, cover the pot with it, and steam for 30 minutes longer.

Invert the rice onto a platter and enjoy this bright and gorgeous rice! I absolutely love the way that this rice and its Tahdig come out!!
Please note that the intensity of the color of the rice highly depends on how dark your brewed saffron’s color is. The more saffron you use, the darker the color.
You know you have had a good time the evening before when you wake up and see the above scene outside a tent!

This is not a paid or sponsored post, the views expressed are solely of My Persian Kitchen’s author Sanam Lamborn.