JEWELED RICE

The Hot Flash Diet^TM recipe for March 2025 is an easy-to-make, minimally spiced version of Persian wedding rice. For the purposes of keeping hot flashes at bay, the recipe omits the many “warm” or “hot” spices that are classically added. It also leaves out the complicated steps for a crunchy base which are time-consuming. Despite these changes, this recipe is quick, tasty, and pretty to look at. You might even want to make it to celebrate the first day of Spring this year on March 20th which is also Persian New Year, or Nowruz.

The purple onion bits are amethysts, the cranberries or barberries are rubies, the golden fruits are topaz, the blueberries could be sapphires or onyx, pistachios represent emeralds, and almonds are pearls. Green slivered pistachios and barberries (zereshk) are available at Middle Eastern markets.

(According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), fewer “warm” and “hot” ingredients will mean less predisposition to hot flashes and night sweats.) The thermal property of each ingredient follows in parentheses.

2 cups water (“neutral”)

1/8 to ¼ tsp saffron, crumbled (“cool”)

¾ tsp sea salt (“cold”)

1 cup basmati rice (rinsed in a sieve until the water is clear) (“neutral”)

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2 TBSP avocado oil (“cool”) or 2 TBSP butter or ghee (“warm”)

¼ cup chopped purple onion or shallots (“warm”)

2 TBSP chopped dried cranberries (“cold”) or dried barberries (zereshk) (“cold”), soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained

2 TBSP chopped dried mango (“cool”) or golden apricots(“neutral”), or golden raisins (“neutral”)

2 TBSP dried blueberries (“cool”)

2 TBSP green pistachios (“neutral”)

2 TBSP slivered almonds (“neutral”)

Few sprinkles of cardamom (“warm”), cumin (“warm”), allspice (“warm”), cinnamon (“hot”), and/or black pepper (“hot”) (opt.)

Add the saffron and salt to the water and stir. Add rice and cook.

In a pan over medium heat, cook the onions in the oil/butter until soft. Add the fruits and nuts and stir to separate any clumps. Add desired spices, if using. Blend the mixture into the cooked rice and serve.