Persian dish Recipe "Lubia Polo (Loobia) Ba Gooshte Charkh Kardeh" ( لوبیا پلو با گوشت چرخ کرده ) .

 

Now I have discovered this recipe I will make it regularly, on first glance it appears difficult but it's not it's just a technique in the same way as making spag bol is a technique, this dish - mince and green beans with rice will be on regular rotation just like Italian ragu.

Loobia Polo (bean rice) is from Iran and has a Persian tahdig, which is in this case is potatoes, but could be just rice or pitta bread. A 'tahdig' is a form of base that you place your rice and meat on, which fries gently and crisps up, but keeps the rice cooking gently without burning. Reader all will become apparent. 

You par boil your long grain rice and make a mince mixture with green beans, then layer them over the potatoes, adding cranberries, topping with lumps of butter and a small amount of saffron water. Then the dish both fries at the bottom whilst the rice steams, producing a light dish that is delicious.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Rice
1 1/4 Green Beans
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Onion
4 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
Pinch Saffron
2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Cumin (not traditional but I like it)
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala (not traditional but I like it)
1 Teaspoon Chilli (not traditional but I like it)
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 to 2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Cinnamon Powder
Cooking Oil

Method

Parboil rice - cover with water and leave for half an hour then wash with cold water till clear, then bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes only, drain and set aside.

Mince - gently fry in a little oil a finely chopped onion till clear, add your mince and brown for five minutes, add a lot of tomato puree 4 tblsp then add the turmeric to the puree, mix it in and fry for a minute or two moving it around. Add other spices and seasoning, fry another minute and then add just enough water to cover and simmer gently till your mince is almost done. Add your green beans chopped into half inch lengths. Add a bit more water during this process if required. Remove cinnamon stick.

The gravy you have left over is like a chefs bonus, it is a great soup.

Saffron, put a few strands in half a cup of boiling water, stir it a few times as the rest cooks.

Tahdig - peel potatoes and slice them into 5mm thick slices, you need enough to cover the bottom of your saucepan in one layer. Put your saucepan on the heat for a minute then add enough oil to thinly spread over the bottom, add a third of a cup of water and heat and swish around to combine with the oil. Next add your potatoes.

Combine - gently put a layer of rice over the potatoes (about a quarter) make it flatish but don't squash it. Use a slotted spoon and put a layer of mince, about half,, with as little sauce as you can.

Repeat with rice and mince, finishing with a layer of rice. 

Then add half a cup of dried cranberries, and about six blobs of butter the size of a heaped teaspoon to the top of the rice. Gently pour the saffron water over the rice.

Cook - Put a clear lid over the saucepan and put on a medium high heat and wait until water droplets are running quickly down the glass.

Turn the heat to the lowest possible and place a kitchen towel over the pan and under it's lid. Leave to cook gently for at least 45 mins, don't worry the worst that can happen is you get really crunchy potatoes.

Mix and serve with the crunchy spuds on top. Traditionally served with a green salad.

Enjoy!