Persian Orange Rice With Almonds

Peel and chop oranges. Remove as much of white as possible from inside of rind by scraping gently with a sharp knife. Sliver rind as thinly as possible. Blanch rind and set aside.

In a blender puree oranges, garlic, ginger, saffron, chiles, curry powder, cinnamon, dill, orange juice, sugar, and anise.

In a large, heavy skillet or casserole with a tight-fitting lid, melt butter. Gently saute orange rind for 1 minute. Adjust heat to keep butter from burning. Pour in contents of blender and broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add rice and stir. Smooth top of rice and cook until done.

Stir gently to fluff; add almonds, pistachios, and parsley, and fluff again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pile into a serving dish and serve hot.