Step 2 includes, "until the start has run off and the water runs much clearer." Think "start" should read "starch."

Yes, that's absolutely right. You want the remove the starch so that the grains of rice will separate nicely during the final cooking process of this Persian style rice. Thanks for pointing that out! I'll shoot a note to the editors to see if they or Samin Nosrat can make that correction. ;o)