In a medium-sized bowl soak rice with water.

Gently wash the rice by stirring the rice in the water with your hand. This helps wash some of the starch and grit out. Pour out the water and repeat two more times.

After washing the rice a third time, rinse and then cover rice with water and add 1 tablespoon salt.

In a small bowl combine crushed saffron with 1 tablespoon hot water and set aside.

In a 5-quart non-stick pot add 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Sauté cabbage in batches until vegetables start to wilt, approximately 3-5 minutes, remove from heat and season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.

When the water has come to boil, pour out the water in the bowl containing the soaking rice. Add the wet rice to the boiling water.

When the water comes to boil again and the rice floats to the top of the pot (approximately 6 minutes), pour the contents of the pot into a fine colander. You know your rice is ready to strain if you bite a rice kernel and the center is still uncooked.

Return the pot to the burner, set heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Arrange the onion slices along the bottom of the pot, in the oil.

Using a spatula, gently scoop the drained rice covering the onions, forming the first layer of rice in the pot. Make sure you do not push the rice in together as this will result in mushy rice

Spread some of the cooked cabbage over the first layer of rice.

Continue alternating layers of rice and cabbage until you are finished with both and ending with a rice layer. Your pot should not be filled to the top. You will need about 3 inches between the top of your rice and the top of the pot.

If you must tap the rice off of your spatula, do not tap it against the pot. This will move the rice in the pot and press them together. Tap your spatula against the colander.

Using the handle of a long wooden spoon or another utensil, gently press several holes around the rice down to the bottom of the pot. This will allow the steam to travel freely through the pot.

Pour the saffron mixture over the top layer of rice.

Cover the lid of your pot with a clean towel or several paper towels, and set firmly over your pot to prevent steam from escaping. The towel will keep the condensation from dropping back into your rice and turning the rice into mush.

After 7 minutes, lower the heat to low and let the rice finish cooking for another 45 minutes. You will know your rice is done because it has fluffed up. Another trick to see if your rice is down is to lick your finger and quickly touch your wet finger against the side of the hot pot. If you hear a sizzle sound, your rice is done (and hopefully your finger isn't burned!).

To serve, you can place a large round platter over the top of the pot, then carefully invert the pot and remove gently. This will create a cake-effect, with the onion crust showing on top. Or, you can use a spatula to gently remove the rice and scatter on your serving platter, creating a pyramid-effect, placing the crunchy onions on top or surrounding the rice.