Iranian Eslamboli Polou Rice With Ground Meat Food

IRANIAN ESLAMBOLI POLOU (RICE WITH GROUND MEAT)

Steps:

• Fry the sliced onions in oil until slightly golden.
• Add ground lamb or beef, salt, and black pepper and fry until color changes.
• Dissolve tomato paste in a glass of hot water and add to meat.
• Cook for a few minutes until little water is left.
• Wash rice twice and soak in salted warm water for 3-4 hours, then drain the water.
• Pour water in a large non-stick pan until it is half-full and bring it to a boil. Add rice and a spoonful of salt and continue boiling until rice slightly softens. Pour rice into a drain and wash it with slightly warm water.
• Mix the rice with the meat, and continue simmering for another 10-20 minutes.

KALAM POLO (PERSIAN CABBAGE AND RICE)

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over ground saffron; let sit for 30 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup for rice; save remaining brewed saffron for another use.
• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until light brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
• Heat remaining oil in another pan over medium heat. Saute cabbage until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon and ginger. Stir mixture into ground beef mixture and continue to cook over low heat, covered, for 5 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water if mixture is dry.
• Rinse and drain rice; transfer to a pot. Add cold water, butter, and remaining salt. Bring mixture to a boil, uncovered. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until rice is half-cooked and water has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Add beef mixture to the rice and slowly mix to incorporate. Turn the heat to low. Add hot water and reserved 1/4 cup brewed saffron to the rice, cover the pot, and let cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

ADAS POLOW (PERSIAN RICE AND LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place the rice in a bowl, and cover with water. Soak the rice for about 3 hours, and drain off the water. Bring the rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain the liquid from the rice, and set the rice aside.
• Bring 2 more cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan, and stir in the lentils. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry the onions, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set the onions aside. Dissolve the saffron in 1/3 cup of hot water, and set aside.
• In a large nonstick pot with deep sides, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering, and spoon in half the rice to cover the bottom of the pot. Top the rice with the lentils, and cover the lentils with the remaining rice. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is completely tender and there is a golden brown, crusty layer of rice on the bottom of the pot, about 20 minutes. Pour the saffron water over the rice and lentils, cover, and allow to cook until absorbed, about 10 more minutes.
• To serve, spoon the polow into a serving dish, and peel off and place pieces of the crusty rice layer on top of the polow. Decorate the polow with dates, raisins, and fried onions.

IRANIAN CHICKEN WITH RICE (MORGH POLOU)

Steps:

• Season the chicken pieces with salt & pepper.
• Using half the Ghee/butter brown the chicken, set aside.
• Fry the onion until transparent in the remaining butter/ghee, add apricots & raisins cook 5 miniutes.
• Stir in the cinnamon then add the 1/4 cup water to lift the browned sediment.
• Place half the cooked rice in an oven proof dish placing the chicken on top.
• Spread the apricot mixture over the chicken and top with remaining rice.
• Cover the dish tightly and bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked & tender.
• While the chicken is cooking mix the saffron with 2 tbsp boiling water, leave to steep.
• Just before serving sprinkle saffron liquid over the top of the casserole , stir gently mixing the chicken, rice & saffron.
• Serve heaped on a platter.