Saed News: In this article, we will teach you how to make Shah Polow, including cooking tips and how to make it delicious as a special dish for your dinner list and lunch menu.
According to Saed News cooking service, Shah Polow Mix is one of the types of mixed pilaf or plov, considered a traditional and royal dish. Shah Polow is originally an Azerbaijani dish but is also made in Sistan and Baluchestan and in the city of Zahedan. The main recipe for this colorful and delicious mixed pilaf includes vegetables, nuts, raisins, barberries, legumes, and mutton. It can also be made with chicken.
Lavash bread is an essential part of the dish, used as the crispy layer at the bottom (tahdig) and served as a spoon. In this article, we will teach you how to prepare Shah Polow Mix, along with tips to make it delicious as a festive dish for your dinner or lunch menu.
Ingredients for Shah Polow (serves 4 people):
Rice: 3 French cups
Mutton (loin or shoulder): 500 grams
Red beans: 1 French cup
Onion (for fried onions): 1 large
Carrot: 1 medium
Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons
Sour grape juice or lemon juice: 4 tablespoons
Saffron (strongly brewed): as needed
Paprika powder and garlic powder: as needed
Salt and black pepper: as needed
Oil or butter: as needed
Lavash bread: for tahdig
Pickles: for serving
For filling or garnishing Shah Polow:
Raisins: 1/4 French cup
Barberries: 1/2 French cup
Prunes or dried apricots: 6-7 pieces
Eggplants: 2
Almond slices: 1/4 French cup
Pistachio slices: 1/4 French cup
Chopped parsley: as needed
Preparation time for ingredients: 30 minutes
Cooking time for Shah Polow Mix: 2 hours 30 minutes
Steps for preparing Shah Polow Mix:
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients The day before, wash the beans and soak them in water to reduce bloating. Wash the meat and cut it into cubes. Place the meat in a colander to drain excess water. Clean the rice and soak it in warm water with salt.
Step 2: Fry the meat Peel and finely chop the onion. In a pot, heat some oil and add the meat cubes with the onion. Stir until the meat changes color. Then add turmeric, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and a cinnamon stick, and fry for a little longer.
Step 3: Cook the meat and beans Once the spices' raw flavor is gone, add the tomato paste and sauté until it gets a nice color and loses its raw taste. Add 2 cups of boiling water to the meat and let it cook on low heat. Drain the beans and cook them in another pot until they are half-cooked.
Step 4: Prepare the remaining Shah Polow ingredients Meanwhile, soak the raisins and barberries in a bowl with water for 15 minutes. Soak the prunes for 20 minutes. Peel and cut the eggplants into cubes, sprinkle with salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes to remove bitterness. Peel and chop the carrot into slices or julienne.
Step 5: Fry the filling ingredients After draining the eggplants, dry them with a towel. Drain the raisins, barberries, and prunes. In a pan, melt some butter and fry the eggplants until golden. Then fry the carrots. Next, fry the almond and pistachio slices, and in the last minute, add the barberries, raisins, prunes, and sour grape juice or lemon juice. Stir everything well, then turn off the heat and set it aside.
Step 6: Boil the rice In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Discard the soaking water from the rice, add the soaked rice to the boiling water, and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes (depending on the rice type) until the rice is partially cooked (the outer layer is soft, and the center is firm). Then drain the rice.
Step 7: Prepare the tahdig Once the beans are half-cooked, drain them and discard their red water. In a pot, add some butter or oil to the bottom. Cut the lavash bread into triangles or strips and layer them in the pot to form the tahdig. The bread pieces should be tall enough to cover the sides of the pot as well.
