Persian cooking: recipes · Polo & dami: rice dishes

Lubia Polo لوبیا پلو

Rice with green beans, minced meat, tomato paste and cinnamon: a family favourite.

⏱ 90 min

Ingredients

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  • 600 g basmati rice
  • 600 g minced lamb or beef (with some fat)
  • 1½ onions
  • 1½ tsp turmeric
  • 600 g green beans
  • 4½ tbsp tomato paste
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1½ tsp saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water
  • 75 g butter
  • 7½ tbsp oil
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)

Method

  1. Fry the onion, add the mince and turmeric and fry until crumbly. Cut the beans into 2 cm pieces and fry with it; add tomato paste, cinnamon, salt and a little water and braise for 15 minutes.
  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 bean mixture, put in the oiled pot and dot with butter.
  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 and serve with yogurt or salad shirazi.