CHILAU

      Title: CHILAU
  Categories: Ethnic
       Yield: 6 Servings
  
     500 g  Rice, basmati
       4 tb Salt
       4 tb Butter
  
   Wash the rice well in a colander then put it in a bowl with 2 tb salt
   and lukewarm water to cover. Stir and let it soak overnight if you
   can, or at least for 1 hour. The longer the better.
   
   Fill a large saucepan with plenty of water, add 2 tb salt and bring
   to the boil. Sprinkle the drained rice in gradually and let it boil
   vigourly for about 4 to 8 minutes. The time depends upon the batch of
   rice but is ready when if you bit on a grain of rice you consider it
   to be slightly underdone, slightly harder than you would like to eat
   it. Drain quickly and rinse in lukewarm water.
   
   Put 2 tb butter and let it melt in the bottom of a pan, add all the
   rice and stir. Cover with 2 more tb of butter. Stretch a clean cloth
   over the top of the pan, put the lid on the top and lift the corners
   of the cloth up over it.
   
   Leave the rice to steam for 20 to 30 minutes over a very low flame. It
   should be cooked and separate. The crisp, brown, golden crust that
   forms at the bottom is considered a delicacy to be offered firs to
   guest. It is called 'dig'. Remove it with a spatula and serve
   separately.
   
   From: A New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden.
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