"One of Yuma Hashemi’s earliest food memories is of tahdig. His mother would divide it up carefully, ensuring both Hashemi and his sister got an equal share of the precious substance. Now it’s a regular feature of the table on his tasting menu at the Drunken Butler, which has grown from a Sunday special to become the backbone of the restaurant. The butler may be apocryphal but Hashemi himself will be in the open kitchen close by, cooking cheffy versions of the food that reminds him of home. There are classic dishes like kashke-bademjan (sour yoghurt and aubergine dip) and plenty of Iranian stews. The tahdig at the bottom of the rice pot isn’t always made with rice, it might be done with bread, potato, or even fish skin — anything that crisps up beautifully." - Hester van Hensbergen
