summary: Our recipe for the BloggerAid cookbook; reminder about Earth Hour 2009; (click on image to see larger view)

I mentioned earlier that BloggerAid (Bloggers Uniting to Aid in the Alleviation of World Hunger) is putting together a cookbook and asking for our help. With the deadline fast approaching, I have just submitted our recipe for this fabulous rice dish to appear in the BloggerAid 2009 cookbook. It will be released for sale on Amazon November/December 2009. 100% of the profit for the cookbook will go towards the UN’s World Food Program (WFP), specifically school meals. ¹

I’ve been meaning to rave about this dish for ages! The photograph was taken last June! But how fortunate that I didn’t. It was extremely difficult for me to find a recipe that we hadn’t published already. Because BloggerAid has stipulated that every recipe for the cookbook must be an original recipe (ie: unpublished in a book, magazine or online).

To make sure that there weren’t errors in the recipe, T made it again last night. Nope, no errors. And oh my, oh my, it’s good.

Of course, I’d like to tell you more about what goes into this dish. But I can’t. Even by saying “rice”, I feel like I have broken the rules. But as the name of the dish is “Persian Rice”, I’m pretty sure I won’t be disqualified. (I hope not!!) Rest assured, not just any rice can be used. T is VERY specific about what kind of rice to use.

We like to serve it garnished with fresh mint or parsley if we have it along with a grilled chop, grilled eggplant and a green vegetable (green beans are great…).

Last night, T rubbed a pork chop (we would have had the more traditional lamb if only I liked lamb….) with garlic and sumac. And we also had fried Asian eggplant coins and steamed broccoli. We opened a bottle of Frontera shiraz/cabernet-sauvignon, with the idea that Shiraz was the capital of Persia so wine made with the Shiraz grape would be the obvious choice to go with Persian rice (even though, according to wikipedia, Shiraz originated in the Rhône region of France).

Sorry, no photo of last night’s dinner on the table. We were too busy eating it…

And here’s a big surprise. Dinner was delicious! The rice was the best ever.

We finished this wonderful extravaganza with small dishes of mango ice cream. Did I remember to mention that dinner was delicious?

1. BloggerAid: Bloggers Uniting to Aid in the Alleviation of World Hunger

Through [the school meals] program, a meal is provided to children in schools where there are low attendance rates with a particular focus on schools where there is a significant lack of children attending, especially girls due to misinformation. The goal in poorer communities is to provide a hot, nutritious meal as an incentive for parents to send their children to school rather than keeping them at home working. An education is the best thing we can give our kids to break the cycle of hunger and poverty and for both boys and girls alike to become contributing members of society. – excerpt from BloggerAid: Children are our future

Only a couple of days before it’s time to turn out your lights for an hour on 28 March!! Too bad it isn’t “Earth Hours”. (Turn off your lights whenever you’re not using them!)

• Earth Hour: Vote Earth – The World’s First Global Election

VOTE EARTH, Earth Hour, Copenhagen, global warming

edit November 2009: We’re very pleased to announce that the Cookbook is now available.

All the recipes in this cookbook are favourites from our kitchens. We hope that when you get your copy of the cookbook, the recipes will become your favourites as well.

100% of the proceeds for the BloggerAid – Changing the Face of Famine Cookbook go towards “School Meals”, a part of the UN’s World Food Program.

• how to purchase the BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine Cookbook

edit July 2012: Please see our revised recipe for Persian Rice (Tah Dig, “bottom of the rice”)