Persian cooking: recipes · Polo & dami: rice dishes

Adas Polo عدس پلو

Lentil rice with raisins, dates and fried onions, often with mince or chicken.

⏱ 90 min

Ingredients

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  • 2000 g basmati rice
  • 1000 g brown or green lentils
  • 10 onions
  • 400 g raisins
  • 400 g dates, pitted
  • 5 tsp cinnamon
  • 5 tsp saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water
  • 250 g butter
  • 25 tbsp oil
  • salt (to taste)

Method

  1. Cook the lentils in salted water for 15 minutes until al dente. Slice the onions into rings and fry crisp; toss the raisins and dates briefly in butter.
  2. Wash the rice, soak in salted water for 1 hour, then parboil in plenty of boiling salted water for 6–8 minutes and drain.
  3. Mix the rice with the lentils and cinnamon and put in the oiled pot.
  4. Cover the pot with a lid wrapped in a cloth and steam for 10 minutes over medium heat, then 45 minutes over low heat.
  5. Garnish with saffron rice, onions, raisins and dates.