SAEDNEWS: Reshteh Polo is a simple and quick way to prepare a traditional Persian noodle rice dish that is both flavorful and elegant. You can make it with ground meat for lunch or dinner, or whip up a tasty version in no time. Serve it alongside a fresh salad or a creamy borani for a complete and satisfying meal.
Reshteh Polo is one of Iran’s traditional and ancient dishes, and it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t love it. Alongside Reshteh Polo, dishes like date-and-raisin rice and herb rice with fish are typically prepared and served during Nowruz, Yalda Night, or Chaharshanbe Suri in Iranian homes. As you may know, Nowruz is a symbolic festival in Iran, and the foods eaten during this ancient celebration carry special meanings. For example, Reshteh Polo is served on the eve of the new year to bring skill and prosperity into people’s work and life, according to an old tradition. There is even an old proverb about this dish:
"We don’t just claim, we prove we provide the best!"
Reshteh Polo is a local specialty of Mashhad, Ardabil, and Kermanshah, but it is also prepared and served in different ways across other Iranian cities. It can be made simply or accompanied by various stews like Gheimeh or Ghormeh Sabzi, with dates and raisins, lentils, meatballs, chicken, turkey, or smoked fish, allowing families to enjoy its rich flavors together. The main spice in Reshteh Polo is turmeric, which, historically, was the only spice added to this dish.
450 g beef
1 chopped onion
200 g soaked cooking plums
½ cup soaked split peas
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups boiling water
3 dried limes
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and oil as needed
Black pepper and red chili as desired
Cut the meat into 3 cm pieces. Heat some oil in a pan, sauté the chopped onion with turmeric, then add the meat and continue frying until the meat changes color.
Pour in boiling water, cover the pot, and let the meat cook until about two-thirds done.
Sauté the soaked split peas in a little oil and add them to the meat.
Pierce the dried limes with a fork 15 minutes before adding them to the stew, soak them in cold water, then add them along with the plums.
Fry the tomato paste in a pan with a bit of oil until it releases its color, then stir it into the stew. Mix gently, and finally season with salt and pepper. Cover and let it simmer until perfectly cooked.
Once ready, serve the stew with Reshteh Polo.
Soak 10 dried apricots for an hour, slice them into thin pieces, and sauté in some butter.
Boil 3 cups of soaked rice until slightly soft, then add 300 g Reshteh noodles and cook until tender, then drain.
Layer the noodles and apricots in a pot and steam together to perfection.
