Loobia Polow: Rice With Green Beans
By: Bita
Published: Thursday, February 3, 2011 - 8:50am

Ingredients




2 cups basmati rice (soaked in 4 cups of warm water and some salt,<
1 pound fresh green beans cut into equal sized pieces
1 pound meat cut in ½ inch cubes or ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup oil- better to use butter or canola, stay away from olive oi
1 can of diced tomatoes-all juices removed or
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 Juice of lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon advieh (Persian spice mix-found at Iranian Specialty Stores)
2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon saffron powder (either ground in a mortar and pestle with a bit of sugar or in a

Preparation

1 Loobia Mixture: 2 Sauté your onions and meat in a bit of oil until brown. 3 Add drained tomatoes, green beans, cinnamon, turmeric, lime juice, salt, and pepper. 4 Cover and simmer for about an hour on low heat. 5 Boil water in a nonstick pot. 6 Pour the drained rice in. 7 Boil for 5-6 minutes on high heat. 8 Take out a few grains and pinch between your thumb and forefinger. If it snaps easily, drain the rice into a colander that has been placed in the sink. 9 Tah-dig: 10 In a bowl, mix the yogurt, a couple of drops of the saffron water, a pinch of salt & pepper, and 5-10 tablespoons of the just drained rice. 11 Mix well. 12 Putting it all together: 13 In the same pot that you cooked the rice in, pour in your canola oil (or butter) and a couple tablespoons of water. 14 Spread out the tah-dig mixture carefully in the pot. 15 Start layering the basmati, Loobia mixture, and advieh. Two spatulas rice, a sprinkle of advieh and two spatulas mixture, continue until you have created a mound inside your pot. 16 With the spatula handle, poke three holes in the rice. 17 Pour the remaining saffron water along with a few glugs of oil on top. 18 Place a couple of kitchen paper towels underneath the lid so that steam does not escape. 19 Cook for 1 hour on low heat. 20 Let it cool for 5 minutes without taking the lid off. 21 Start taking one spatula full at a time and placing them in a serving dish. 22 Detach the tah-dig with a wooden spatula and serve it in its own dish. 23 Great served with mast-o-khiar or salad shirazi.

About


Mundane, it is not. It intertwines green beans, meat, turmeric, tomatoes, and many more ingredients with basmati rice. Infused with a dusting of pulverized saffron, lovingly ground up in a mortar and pestle. In the same pot, you have the tah-dig, the bottom of the pot crust that builds from the basmati, and all of the mixed ingredients’ juices to become the crowning glory of all Persian rice meals.  I have had many friends look at me very oddly when I have offered them the crust at the bottom of the pot, I am sure they wanted to head for the door, however, after just one bite, they were bitten!