Tarlan and Zemfira Ahmadov, gracious hosts and wonderful cooks, with their students.
First - Zerfira's Yellow Rice techniques. She boils the rice like pasta, and then fluffs it into a mountain on a tortilla.
Sprinkle turmeric like a dusting of snow.
Thin stream of melted ghee over the mountain surface.
The towel trick. I saw an Iranian woman do this as well. 
After an hour and a half on low the rice is done. You just have to mix it up with a small plate and toss it onto a platter.
The spread was the ultimate potluck. Other dishes were brought in by friends and family. It was amazing.
Here are photos from making the Azerbaijani cornish hen and egg, which was delicious.
Photos: Matt Boutet
