Estamboli Polo is an Iranian rice dish made of Persian rice, green beans, and meat. It is traditionally made with chuck cubes but can be also made with minced meat, pork, or even chicken breast.
If you are vegan, you can cook this meal without meat.
What are the Ingredients?
- 500g chuck cubes
- 4cups rice
- 500g green beans
- 2 onions
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1/2tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2tbsp dried lemon powder
- 2 Tablespoons brewed saffron
Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 1h20 minutes | Cooking method: cooking |
Cooking Skills: Easy | Meal: Lunch/dinner | Suitable for: 4 people |
How to prepare Estamboli Polo?
Step 1: Preparing Ingredients
Rinse and soak the rice in salted water for at least 2 hours.
Brew saffron.
Remove both ends of the green beans and chop them into small pieces.
Dice the onions.
Chop the meat into cubes.
Step 2: Preparing Chuck cubes
Saute the diced onions in a pot until tender, add the chuck cubes, turmeric, salt, and pepper and saute until brown on all sides. Add some water and simmer until fully cooked. let the excess water evaporate.
In the case, you use minced meat or chicken breast you don’t need to add water and cook.
Step 3: Preparing Green beans
Put the chopped green beans into a pot, add some water and salt and simmer for about 20 minutes. Do not overcook.
Drain and set aside.
Step 4: Mixing Chuck Cubes and Green Beans
Miix cooked chuck cubes with drained green beans in a frying pan. Add tomato paste, dried lemon powder, and cinnamon and mix. Saute for a few minutes. Set aside.
Step 5: Preparing Rice
Fill a large nonstick pot with 10 cups of water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water, and continue cooking over medium to high heat. Stir occasionally.
After 5-6 mins. scoop some rice grains from the water using a slotted spoon. Break one grain in half to ensure it is ‘’al dente’’. The rice should be firm in the center and soft on the outside. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Step 6: Making Tadig and Cooking Rice
Scoop a cup of rice into a small bowl, and mix gently with 1 tablespoon of brewed saffron. Set the bowl aside for making Tadig.
You can also make potato Tadig for this dish.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pot over low heat. Distribute the Saffron rice mixture evenly onto the bottom of the pot to make delicious Tahdig. Now put 1/3 of white rice on the saffron rice and add 1/2 of the meat and beans mixture. Repeat another layer. Cover the mixture with the last layer of white rice and shape a pyramid. Wrap the lid with a clean cotton towel and cover the pot. Steam the rice over medium heat for 45 minutes.
Step 7: Serve
Scoop Estamboli Polo on a large platter and shape a pyramid. Pour some brewed saffron on top. Put a large plate on top of the pot and turn it over so that Tahdig comes out perfectly, or garnish the platter with slices of Tadig.
You can serve this dish with fresh herbs, refreshing Shirazi salad, and Torshi(pickles).
Bon Apetit.
Useful links:
Delicious Iranian Side Dishes
Different types of Tadig
How to brew saffron?