Polow Persian Rice With Pistachios And Dill Recipes

POLOW (PERSIAN RICE WITH PISTACHIOS AND DILL)

Steps:

• Using lid of pot as guide, trace circle on parchment paper and cut out. Set aside.
• In large bowl, rinse rice in several changes of cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
• In pot over moderately high heat, combine 4 quarts cold water, rice, and salt. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to moderate and boil, uncovered, 5 minutes. Drain well.
• In small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup warm water and saffron until dissolved.
• Transfer 1 cup cooked rice to medium bowl and stir in yogurt and 1 tablespoon saffron water (reserve remaining saffron water).
• In cleaned pot over moderately low heat, melt butter. Add rice-yogurt mixture, smoothing into flat layer. Top with 1/2 of remaining rice. Sprinkle with 1/2 of dill and pistachios and top with 1/2 of remaining rice, mounding loosely. Sprinkle with remaining dill and pistachios and top with remaining rice, mounding loosely into pyramid. Using round handle of wooden spoon, make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot and pour in remaining saffron water.
• Cover rice with prepared parchment paper round then with lid and steam, undisturbed, until tender and crust forms on bottom, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Spoon loose rice onto platter without disturbing bottom crust. Dip bottom of pan into large bowl of cold water 30 seconds to loosen crust. Using spatula or wooden spoon, lift crust and transfer atop rice.

PERSIAN RICE WITH PISTACHIOS AND DILL

Steps:

• Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a large sieve.
• Bring water and salt to a boil in a 6-quart heavy pot and parboil rice, uncovered, 5 minutes. Drain in large sieve.
• Melt butter in bottom of cleaned pot and spoon rice over it, alternating with sprinklings of dill and pistachios and mounding loosely, ending with rice. Make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot with round handle of a wooden spoon, then cover pot with a kitchen towel and a heavy lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid (to keep towel from burning) and cook rice, undisturbed, over moderately low heat until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Spoon loose rice onto a platter and dip bottom of pan in a large bowl of cold water 30 seconds to loosen tah-dig (the rice crust on the bottom). Remove tah-dig with a large spoon and serve in a separate bowl or over loose rice.

CHEAT'S QUICK PERSIAN RICE (POLOW)

Steps:

• Put the Basmati Rice in a bowl and rinse it very well under running water, taking care to be gentle when stirring the rice so you don't break the rice grains. Rinse until most of the starch has been washed, and the water is almost clear and no longer cloudy.
• Cover the rinsed rice with water (approx. 2 inches/4 cm above rice level), and let it soak for 30 minutes before cooking.
• After 30 minutes, strain the soaked rice (in a collinder or seive) from all the the water.
• Gently heat 1 tablesoon of Oil in a heavy-based (preferrably non-stick), wide cooking pot. Make sure the oil covers the whole base of the pot.
• Add the strained rice to pot, then the 3 cups of Water, remaining Oil, Salt, and stir gently for a few seconds, taking care not to break the rice grains (just enough for the salt to mix in the water).
• Bring to a gentle boil. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn the heat down to a medium/low, allowing contents to simmer gently. Cover the pot with a tight lid (alternatively, use a clean dry teatowel wrapped around the lid to ensure no air/steam escapes the pot. You can also use baking foil instead of the teatowel to keep the pot contents air-tight).
• Once the rice has been simmering gently for 10 minutes, and you can almost hear the rice at the bottom of the pot making crisp sounds, turn the heat down to a low heat, and let it steam gently for a further 20 minutes - this will ensure the rice gets crispy at the bottom (Tahdig) but doesn't burn.
• (Optional) If using Cinnamon sticks to make the rice fragrant, at Step. 7 open the lid of the pot & stick the Cinnamon sticks into the rice, perpendicularly, making sure the sticks are completely submerged in the rice . Cover the pot once again tighly & allow to steam - as in Step 7 - gently for 20 minutes before serving.

BAGHALI POLO - PERSIAN RICE WITH LIMA BEANS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, saute the onion and lima beans over medium heat for about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine saffron water and yogurt. Add 1/2 cup of your basmati rice to this bowl and mix.
• In a large pot, add enough water to thinly cover the bottom. Add 3 tablespoons canola oil and give it a swirl so the water and oil mix.
• Layer the bottom of the pot with the rice and yogurt mixture.
• Add a handful of chopped dill to the pot then cover with a small layer of rice.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of advieh over the rice.
• Add a generous layer of lima beans.
• Add a generous layer of chopped dill.
• Gently mix the rice, fava beans, and dill.
• Continue layering until you are out of both rice and the vegetables. You should finish with a layer of rice. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of advieh on top.
• With the end of a spatula, make holes around the perimeter of the pot, making sure you don't pass the yogurt-rice layer.
• Cover and on high for 10 minutes.
• Place a towel on top of the pot and cover tightly. Cook on medium-low for 1 hour.
• Halfway through the cooking process, drizzle 2 tablespoons of melted butter or oil over the rice. If you'd like, you can also add a pinch of saffron to the butter or oil too.

PERSIAN RICE WITH FAVA BEANS AND DILL (BAQALA POLOW)

Steps:

• Wash the rice by placing it in a large container and covering it with water. Agitate gently with your hand, then pour off the water. Repeat 5 times until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain, using a fine-mesh colander, and set aside.
• If using fresh fava beans in the pod, shell and remove second skins. If using frozen favas with second skins removed, place in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Set aside.
• Heat ¼ cup (60ml) oil in a large, non-stick pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the cinnamon stick, leek, and garlic, and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the leek is wilted. Add the rice, salt, pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and rose water, and stir-fry for another 1 minute.
• Add the water, tip in the skinned fava beans and bring back to a boil, stirring gently twice with a wooden spoon, to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cover firmly with a lid to prevent any steam from escaping. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed.
• Add the dill and fluff using 2 forks. Drizzle the remaining oil and the saffron-infused rose water over the rice. Cover again, reduce heat to low, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool, still covered, for 5 minutes.
• Serve with fried eggs and Yogurt and Persian Shallot Dip or alongside roasted lamb or fish.

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.