Persian Green Beans Rice (Loobia Polo)

Ingridiants:

One pound lean ground beef (or tiny cut stew meat)

1 large onion chopped

2 tablespoon corn oil or olive oil

1 pound green beans washed, dried and cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 can of tiny diced tomatoes in juice

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder

1 tablespoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

4 cups basmati rice

How to make it:

(1)

In a large pan heat the one tablespoon of oil and saute' the chopped onions

Add the turmeric to the onions

Add meat, sprinkle with salt and let the meat get brown

Add the can of tomatoes and the tomato paste

Add the cinommon powder

Cover and let simmer on low heat

In a separate skillet (or a wok) heat one tablespoon of oil and pour in the beans

Stir the beans for about 6-7 minutes until tender but not burnt 

(you may leave a cover on the pan to make the process faster but do not let the steam make the beans soggy)

Pour the saute' beans into the meat and sauce mixture and leave on low heat

(2)

Make the rice: Boil the water in a pot with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the rice and boil for 6-8 minutes.

Drain the water and leave aside

(3)

In a large pot (or electric non-stick serving skillet)  put 1 or 2 table spoon of oil and heat. Add a third of the rice. Cover with a third of the meat sauce. Add the rice again and cover with meat sauce. Continue until all is finished.

Leave the lid on and turn the heat up for 30-40 second then leave on low for about 20 minutes until the rice fluffs up.

Serve with yogurt and fresh herbs on the side

Enjoy!

 

 

Open Face Stuffed Eggplant (Shekam Pareh)

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

3 large Eggplant cut in half lengthwise unpeeled

1/2 Pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

2 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of rice

1/4 cup yellow or green split peas

2 table spoon of tomato paste (or 4 Ounce  can of tomato sauce)

1 tablespoon of fresh or dried parsley

1 tablespoon of  fresh or dried cilantro

1/2 tablespoon of dried savory leaves (dill weed, if you prefer)

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

A pinch of whole cumin seed  

1 tea spoon of salt

1 tea spoon of black pepper 

How to make it:

Saute the chopped onions in heated olive oil, add the beef and let get browned

Cook the rice and split peas until tender

Add the cooked rice and meat and add all the herbs and spices, tomato paste and mix well

Meanwhile cut the eggplants lengthwise and take some of the inter part with seeds out. It should shape like a little boat. (you may use the discarded parts by baking them or frying them as a part of the stuffing)

Leave the eggplants in a preheated oven (375 F) for about 12 minutes

Take the eggplants out and let cool to room temperature.

Stuff the eggplants with the rice and meat stuffing

Leave in the oven for 15 minutes on 250 F degree 

When ready to serve sprinkle some mozzarella cheese (pizza cheese or your favorite melt-able cheese) on  the half cut stuffed eggplant and heat in microwave for 1 minutes. 

You may leave all the stuffed eggplants that you made (all 6 pieces) in a dish and broil in the oven for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is melted and running but not burnt.

Serve with toasted crusty garlic bread 

Enjoy! 

Easy Persian Meat Stew (Cheghook Berizoo)

Ingredients

1.5 Pound lean ground beef 

1 large onion chopped

2 tablespoon of cone oil or olive oil

3 medium potatoes pealed and cubed

1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce or 3 tablespoon of tomato paste

(You may also use one can of petite cut tomatoes)

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

1 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of black or white pepper

Juice of 2 lemon or lime 

1 table spoon of dried tarragon (optional)

How to make it:

Heat the oil and add the chopped onions, stir for a minute or two on high heat

Add the beef and stir until the meat gets brown

Add salt, pepper, turmeric and cinnamon powders

Keep mixing

Add your tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes

Keep mixing and stiring

After 3 minutes add a cup of water and let the stew cook for 3-4 minutes

Add lemon or lime joice

Add the cut potatoes

Reduce the heat and let the stew cook for 5-10 minutes

Serve when the potatoes are done but not mashes

This dish can be made in 10-15 minutes total

Serve with toasted bread or on the top of whit rice

Great with Yogurt or Torshi (Picked vegetables) on the side

Enjoy!  

  

Sumac Salmon with cranberry

Ingredients:

2 large pieces of salmon filet

1 table spoon of grind red sumac

2 table spoon of olive oil

1 lemon or lime

1 tea spoon of salt

1 fistful of dried cranberry

1/2 tea spoon of black pepper

How to make it:

In a oven safe Pyrex pure one table spoon of olive oil

Lay the fish on the oil with the skin down

Sprinkle the salt and pepper

Sprinkle the sumac

Squeeze the lemon or lime on the fish

pure the other table spoon of olive oil on the fish

Cover the fish with cranberries

Cover the dish with aluminum foil

Preheat the oven on 375 f

Cook the fish for 15 minutes

Remove the foil and broil for 5-6 minutes until the cranberries are caramelized

 Serve with saute' vegetables, rice pilaf, baked potato or corn

Enjoy!  

Sour Cherry Rice (Albaloo Polo)

Ingredients:

(Serving 4-6 people)

3 cups basmati rice

1/2 jar sour cherry jam (preserve of in brine or fresh where available)

(I prefer Persian/Greek/Turkish or Yugoslavian cherries. California sour cherry has not much flavor)  

2 tablespoon of slivered almonds

 2 tablespoon of slivered pistachios

A pinch of saffron, grind and melted in hot water

1 medium onion

 2 tablespoon of corn oil or olive oil

How to make it:

make the plain rice 

(Biol rice in water with one table spoon of salt for 7-8 minutes until half cooked, then drain the water out and set aside)

chop or finely slice the onion and saute' until golden brown

add the pistachios/almonds/sour cherries

Heat and mix for about 2 minutes

Add oil in a non-stick pot

Pour the some of the plain rice (about one inch high)

Add a few spoon of cherry/nuts mixture

Add one more layer of rice

Add a few spoon of cherry/nuts mixture again

Continue until all the ingredients are used

Top with a some of the rice dipped in the liquid saffron for a better presentation

Close the pot  tight with its top (you may use a paper towel to seal the heat & steam) and turn the heat of high for about 40-50 seconds and then reduce to low. Let the rice in pot get steamed slowly for about 20-25 minutes and the rice grains fluff up.

This is a sweet & sour dish and vegetarians will love it  

Enjoy!

  

 

Persian Rice Meatballs (Koofteh Berenji)

Ingredients:

2 Pounds of lean ground beef

2 cups of rice (Basmati or Jasmin) uncooked or half cooked

1 large onion finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon dill weed

1 fistful of small raisins

1 teaspoon of turmeric

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

1.5 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper (white or black)

1/2 can of tiny chopped tomatoes

How to make it:

Step one: Mix all the ingredients and make gulf or tennis ball size meatballs.

Step 2: Make the sauce or liquid:

In a not too deep pot saute' chopped onions in olive oil and add the other half of the chopped tomatoes and add 2 cups of water. Let come to boil

Step 3: Drop the meatball in the liquid in the pot very gently. 

Leave the pot uncover and bring the heat to medium low. Turn the meatballs with a serving spoon so the top can swim in the liquid too and cooks.

(Add some lemon juice if you like this sweet and sour)

Let the meatballs cook for 20-25 minutes then serve in a bowl with some of the juice.

Enjoy!

 

Dill Rice (Shevid-Polo)

Ingredients:

4 cups of basmati rice

1 can of black-eyed peas

3 tablespoon of dried dill-weed

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

2 table spoon of salt

2 tablespoon of corn oil or olive oil

How to make it

Bring water to boil in a pot and add salt

 Add turmeric to the rice in the pot

Wash the rice in a bowl and drain

Add the rice to the boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes (depending on the age of the rice)

Add the black eyed beans and dill weed

Stir slowly without breaking the rice grains

Drain the water

In a pot add the corn oil and let heat for 1 minute

Add the rice mix in the pot

Cover and leave on high heat for 1 minute

Reduce the heat and let the rice steam for 10-15 minutes

Serve with your choice of meat or by itself with a small bowl of yogurt on the side

You may add some saute' caramelized onions as topping

Enjoy!

 

Caged Beef Kabobs (Kabob-e-Toori).......... or Easy Kabob Koobideh