Persian cooking: recipes · Polo & dami: rice dishes

Sabzi Polo ba Mahi سبزی پلو با ماهی

Herbed rice with fried fish, the traditional meal on Nowruz eve.

⏱ 90 min

Ingredients

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  • 500 g basmati rice
  • 3¾ bunch mixed herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, leek)
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 750 g white fish fillets (e.g. pike-perch, cod)
  • 2½ tbsp flour
  • 1¼ tsp turmeric
  • 1¼ tsp saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water
  • 65 g butter
  • 10 tbsp oil
  • 1¼ limes
  • salt (to taste)

Method

  1. Chop the herbs very finely and slice the garlic thinly.
  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 herbs and garlic, put into 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. Salt the fish, coat in flour with turmeric, fry until crisp and serve with the rice and lime.