Saed News: Mani Polo is one of the delicious Iranian dishes that is made with various recipes. Stay with us to learn this cooking tutorial.
According to Saed News' cooking service, Mani Polo is one of the traditional Iranian dishes that originates from the city of Damghan. In the past, this dish was mostly cooked in desert areas. Mani Polo is a special dish for Nowruz (Persian New Year), holidays, and religious ceremonies. This delicious dish, which is very similar to Shirin Polo, Morasa Polo, and also Qeymeh Nisar from Qazvin, is very colorful and beautiful. It is made by combining rice, lentils, orange peel, and ground meat.
Rice – 3 cups
Lentils – 2 cups
Meat – 400g
Onion – 1 large
Rice noodles – 100g
Raisins – 2/3 cup
Barberry – 1/4 cup
Salt and black pepper – as needed
Turmeric and salt – as needed
Step 1:
First, soak the lentils in water for 6 hours. Afterward, drain them and place them in a pot with water, then cook on low heat until they are tender. Peel and wash the onion, then chop it into thin slices. Cut the meat into medium-sized cubes.
Step 2:
Heat a pot with oil, add the chopped onion, and sauté until softened. Add the meat and sauté until it changes color. Add a bit of turmeric and black pepper, mix, then add boiling water over the meat and cover the pot. Let it simmer on very low heat.
Step 3:
Wash the rice and soak it in water. Add water to a pot, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 4:
Once the water boils, discard the water from the rice and add the rice to the boiling water. Let it cook for about 8 minutes. Then, add the lentils and rice noodles and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. After this, turn off the heat and drain the rice.
Step 5:
Wash the pot, dry it on heat, and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add bread or potato slices to the bottom of the pot for the crust (tahdig). Layer the rice in the pot, starting with one or two scoops of rice.
Step 6:
Add the cooked meat and onion mixture, then layer the rice again. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used up. Pour a bit of saffron and butter (or animal fat or regular oil) on top, then cover the pot and let it cook.
Step 7:
In a small pot, heat some oil, then add the barberries and raisins. Once they are warmed up, remove the pot from heat and stir constantly to avoid burning. Set it aside.
Step 8:
Once the rice is cooked, remove the saffron rice from the top, and mix the saffron rice with the barberries and raisins. Serve the Mani Polo on a dish and garnish with the saffron rice mixture and dried fruits. Enjoy!
