Estamboli Polo - Tomato Rice with Vegetables

Sabzi Polo (Persian Style Herbed Rice) with Herb Crusted Salmon

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice x 1.5 cups
• salmon fillet x 2 medium size
• dill x 1 bunch
• cilantro x 1 bunch
• frozen peas x 2 cups
• lemon x 1
• salt, pepper, oil or butter
  

Rinse the rice in cold water for a few minutes. In a medium sized pot boil 4 cups of water. Once it started boiling add a couple of big pinches of salt. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the rice is almost cooked (al-dente). Meanwhile, finely chop the herbs. Drain the rice, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. In a big bowl, mix the herbs (leave some for the fish), peas and the rice with a little bit of vegetable oil. Add the rice mixture to the same pot, let it cook in medium heat, covered, until it starts steaming. Turn down the heat and wrap the lid with a tea towel, cover and let it cook for 30 minutes.
Crust the salmon fillets with olive oil, herb, lemon zest salt and pepper. In a non-stick pan, fry the fish on medium high heat, skin side down first for 2-4 minutes each side (depending on the thickness). Once cooked, squeeze some lemon juice on the fish.
Serve with thick yogurt and Persian pickled vegetables

Fesenjoon - Pomegranate and Walnut Stew

Ingredients

• ground walnuts x 2 cups
• pomegranate syrup x 1 cup
• water x 1.5 cups
• chicken thighs x 4
• onion x 1 medium, thinly sliced
• sugar x 3 tbsp
• basmati rice
  
• butter, salt, pepper
• cinnamon (optional)

Brown the chicken thighs in butter, set aside. In the same pot, add some more butter, onion, salt and pepper. After a couple of minutes, add the ground walnut and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the water, bring to boil, simmer, add pomegranate syrup, sugar and salt. Mix well, add the chicken and let it cook/simmer for 1 hour. Meanwhile make the rice. Taste the stew and add sugar or salt if needed. Serve once the stew starts to thicken.

*Thanks to my mother*

Zereshk Polo with chicken

Zereshk polo: dried berberis and saffron rice1

zereshk 1 cup (you can buy it from Persian stores)
butter 2 tbsp
saffron 1 pinch (grounded and dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water)

sugar 4 tbsp
chicken thighs 3
basmati rice 2 cups

onion 1/2

Zereshk: soak the zereshk in water for 30 minutes. Drain, cook in low heat in a pan with sugar and butter until soft and caramelized. Add 3-4 tbsp of saffron water mixture.

Polo: wash the rice. add to salted boiling water. once cooked (it should still have a bite) drain. add 3-4 tbsp of saffron water and some oil to the bottom of the pot, transfer the rice back to the pot. Let it cook, covered with a cloth for 30-40 minutes on low heat. This causes the rice in the bottom of the pot to harden and make a nice crispy "tahdeeg". Take a cup of rice and mix with some saffron water for garnish.

Chicken:

chicken, onion, salt, pepper, 4 tbsp of saffron water mixture in a pot, low heat. Let it cook for 30 minutes

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berberis

Persian Feast

Bottom to top:

• Lavaash: Persian flat bread

• Fesenjoon: rich stew made with ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses and chicken

• Estamboli polo: a rice dish that has potatoes, green pepper, tomato paste, saffron, and ground beef in it, but my mother made it vegetarian and replaced the beef with button mushrooms

• Rice with saffron

• Sabzi: a mix of fresh herbs that we usually eat as a side dish

• Kashk e bademjoon - see picture below

Kashk e bademjoon: charred or fried eggplant, garlic and walnut dip mixed with Kashk1

1. Kashk: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashk