I wrote this recipe for a friend who wanted a simplified version of shirin polo. This dish can literally take an entire day to make if done from scratch. I usually prepare the orange peels and the almond slivers a day in advance and let them soak in syrup to soften up and sweeten. But, this more practical and time-saving recipe tastes just as delicious as the long version I usually make.
Shirin Polo in Rice Cooker
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Ready in: 1 hour 20 min
Yields: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
For Topping
¾ cup slivered orange peels about 2 oranges
2 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar divided
¼ cup store-bought slivered almonds
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
¼ cup zereshk (barberries) rinsed and drained
½ tablespoon butter
For Rice
2 cups rice
3¾ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
1 tablespoon butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse the oranges and use a vegetable peeler to remove the outermost layers of the peels. Using a paring knife, scrape insides of the peels to remove as much of the white pith as possible. Stack the peels on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut into 1/8 to ¼-inch slivers.
Fill a small saucepan with 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar and the slivered oranges peels. Bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Set aside. Just before use, strain the liquid.
Add 2 cups rice, 3¾ cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a bowl of a Persian rice cooker. Start the cooking cycle.
Half way through the cooking cycle, when all the water is absorbed by rice, add slivered orange peels and almonds. Cover to complete to cooking cycle.
While the rice is cooking, add zereshk, butter and 2 teaspoons sugar to a small sauté pan. Heat on medium low long enough for the sugar to melt. Remove from heat, set aside.
To plate the rice, reserve some silvered orange and almonds for garnish. Gently scoop the rice out on a serving platter, lightly mixing the ingredients. Mix one cup rice with saffron water. Add to the rice and top with slivered orange, almonds and zereshk.
Zereshk polo, barberry rice, is one of the easiest Persian dishes to make especially if you own a Persian rice cooker. All you do is cook your rice and add sweetened zereshk to it, it’s that easy. If you own a rice cooker, follow my recipe instructions for polo in rice cooker. Otherwise, use the recipe below.
Zereshk is a tart and real tiny red berry that is used in a lot of Persian dishes from rice and frittata to stews. These tiny berries add a beautiful pop of red color to this dish along with a burst of tartness and a touch of sweetness. If you want to experience the unique mouthwatering taste of this authentic dish, make sure to use saffron and zereshk, no substitutes here!
I like adding enough sugar to the zereshk to balance its tartness. Add less sugar for a more sour taste and more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste. You can either top your rice with zereshk like I did in this recipe or mix in your zereshk with the rice. Either way, your zereshk polo will be yummy!
Zereshk Polo (Barberry Rice)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Ready in: 1 hour 10 min
Yields: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
For Rice:
3 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1½ quarts (10 cups) water
2 tablespoons salt
6 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted
For Topping:
¾ cup zereshk (barberries), rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon ground saffron
INSTRUCTIONS
To wash the rice, pour the rice into a bowl and cover with cold water. Gently swish the rice around with your hand and then drain the water. Repeat until the water is clear. Strain the rice and set aside.
Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky.
Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice and cook over medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.
Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice and reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid and cook for 50 minutes.
The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in a drier and fluffier rice.
To make the topping for rice, place butter, zereshk and sugar in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat just long enough for butter and sugar to melt. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, dissolve ¼ teaspoon saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water. Add 2 cups of cooked rice and gently mix to combine.
To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Add saffron rice and top with zereshk.
Loosen the tadigh (crispy crust) from the bottom of the pot and serve on a separate platter.
If tadigh is hard to remove, lower the bottom of the pot into a sink of cold water for few minutes to help release the crust.
Zereshk polo can also be prepared in a rice cooker, or in kateh style, and then topped with saffron rice and sweetened zereshk.
Zereshk (barberries) are available in Persian and Middle Eastern stores.
Soak zereshk in water for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove stems and check for tiny stones.
Transfer zereshk to a strainer using a slotted spoon.
Dirt from zereshk settles to the bottom of the bowl. It’s easier to place the strainer with zereshk over a bowl of water to soak then just lift it out leaving the dirt behind.
Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand; drain and repeat until the water is clear. Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky. Strain the rice.
Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice.
Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top.
Boil the rice until ‘al dente’, the outer layer is soft but the inner layer is firm to the bite.
Drain in a mesh colander.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.
Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 50 minutes.
Place butter, zereshk and sugar in a skillet over medium low heat.
Heat just long enough for butter and sugar to melt. Remove from heat.
Dissolve ¼ teaspoon saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl.
Add 2 cups cooked rice, gently mix to combine.
To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter, top with saffron rice.
Add zereshk on top. You can also mix the zereshk with the rice for plating.
To wash the rice, pour the rice into a bowl and cover with cold water. Gently swish the rice around with your hand and then drain the water. Repeat until the water is clear. Strain the rice and set aside.
Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky.
Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice and cook over medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.
Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice and reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid and cook for 50 minutes.
The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in a drier and fluffier rice.
To make the topping for rice, place butter, zereshk and sugar in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat just long enough for butter and sugar to melt. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, dissolve ¼ teaspoon saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water. Add 2 cups of cooked rice and gently mix to combine.
To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Add saffron rice and top with zereshk.
Loosen the tadigh (crispy crust) from the bottom of the pot and serve on a separate platter.
If tadigh is hard to remove, lower the bottom of the pot into a sink of cold water for few minutes to help release the crust.
Zereshk polo can also be prepared in a rice cooker, or in kateh style, and then topped with saffron rice and sweetened zereshk.
Serve with braised chicken breasts or thighs.
Notes
This rice can also be prepared in a rice cooker or in kateh style, then topped with saffron rice and zereshk. Serve with chicken breasts or thighs.
By Mastering Persian Cooking
beta
calories
525
fat
22g
protein
7g
carbs
74g
more
Mastering Persian Cooking http://masteringpersiancooking.com/
