How To Make Istanbul-Style Potato Dish / The Easiest Food Whose Aroma And Flavor You Can Never Get Enough Of — That’s It!

According to the Cooking Service Report of Saed News, Istanbul-Style Rice Without Meat is one of the very delicious and simple rice dishes that you can prepare without any kind of meat, ground meat, or chicken. This method is very easy and tasty, and goes wonderfully with a delicious Shirazi salad or your favorite pickles. You can prepare this rice dish for times when you don’t have enough time to make a delicious meal. If you don’t consume meat or chicken and are vegetarian, this rice is a great option for you, and you can easily prepare it at home. In making Istanbul-style rice without meat, you can use tomato paste or tomato puree, or you can use a combination of both.

How to Prepare Istanbul-Style Rice Without Meat

1. Step One: Preparing the Ingredients
   First, wash the rice well to clean it. You can optionally use a mix of Iranian rice with smoked or Indian rice, depending on your preference. Soak the rice with a little salt and set aside. Wash the tomatoes and grate them finely, or you can puree or dice them finely.

2. Step Two: Sautéing
   Next, peel the potatoes and cut them into larger cubes. The size is completely up to your taste; you can cut them smaller or larger. Fry the potatoes in a pan with a little oil until soft. Then remove from the pan, peel the onion, and cut it finely or into thin strips.

3. Step Three: Preparing the Filling
   Sauté the onion with a little turmeric until light and golden. Then add the potatoes and tomato paste and sauté until the raw smell of the paste disappears. Add the spices and sauté until their aroma rises. Finally, add the tomato puree and sauté until the excess water evaporates. For a better color, you can add about ¼ cup of water and let it boil on high heat.

4. Step Four: Cooking Istanbul-Style Rice Without Meat
   Place the rice on heat and wait for it to boil. Skim the foam from the rice, then drain the rice when softened. Mix the rice well with the potato mixture and place your desired bottom crust (Tahdig) in the pot. Add the mixture into the pot; you can layer the rice and potatoes as well. Let the Istanbul-style rice cook and steam for 40 minutes. Finally, add a little oil. Enjoy your meal!

Key Tips for Preparing Istanbul-Style Rice Without Meat or Chicken:

• You can use only tomato paste or tomato puree as you like.

• You can add local butter at the end.

• You can sprinkle pilaf spices between the layers of rice.