I spent a bit of time this weekend with one of my brothers-in-law and somewhere along the way we got to talking about Iranian food. He has an old friend, Kodi, and there is a story about how Kodi’s mother makes the best ever rice and there was another dish she made with chicken and walnuts that was cooked for eight hours.

All that talking was done whilst tasting our way through a selection of fine real ales including a Christmas Beer that was dark, sweet and heavy enough to lift you off your feet.

I had a go at some Iranian Rice this evening – this time with herbs. There is not much that is difficult or complicated about the cooking of good rice. It just needs a bit of time.As soon as you start to hurry through the process you are done for and will end up with a plate of white mush.

The herbs were a mixture of coriander, dill, mint and tarragon, all chopped fine.

I cooked the rice in boiling water for five minutes until it just ad some bite left. Greaseproof paper was then put in the pan, butter melted and the rice layered on top with the herbs. You should then wrap a tea-towel around the lid but I just use a couple of pieces of kitchen roll. The last time i tried it with a tea-towel we had a fire.

After 40 minutes on the lowest possible heat the rice came out perfectly cooked with a golden crusty bottom.

We ate it with chicken that had been stuffed with a mixture of dried figs, dried cherries, barberries and walnuts.

In the meantime I have had a taste at the homebrew. Probably not as good as the beer we were drinking last night.