Sour cherry rice is one of the most delicious and sophisticated mixed rice dishes in Iranian cuisine. You can prepare sour cherry rice with meatballs, chicken, or soy. Here's how to make sour cherry rice with ground meatballs:
Ingredients and Steps:
Prepare the Rice:
Wash the rice gently until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice in water and salt for at least 2 hours before cooking.
Prepare the Meatballs:
Grate an onion finely and drain its juice.
In a bowl, mix the ground meat, grated onion, salt, and pepper. Knead well.
Shape the mixture into meatballs and fry them in oil until browned.
Prepare the Cherries:
Wash fresh sour cherries and remove their stems and pits.
Place the cherries in a pot and sprinkle sugar over them.
Heat gently until the cherries soften.
Strain the softened cherries and return the liquid to the heat to thicken slightly.
Cook the Rice:
Drain the soaked rice.
Boil water in a suitable pot and add the rice to it.
Cook until the rice is soft around the edges but still slightly firm in the center.
Drain the rice using warm water.
Assemble the Dish:
Add oil to the bottom of the pot and place a layer of flatbread.
Layer the drained rice and cherries in the pot, reserving some cherries for garnish.
Increase the heat until steam begins to rise, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it steam.
Mix a portion of white rice with melted butter and saffron, and place it on top to steam.
Final Touches:
Halfway through cooking, mix 1 cup of cherry syrup with some melted butter or hot oil and pour it over the rice.
When serving, garnish with fried meatballs, reserved cherries, and saffron rice.
Tips for Perfect Sour Cherry Rice:
For a beautifully colored sour cherry rice, do not pour the cherry syrup over the rice. Instead, mix the thickened syrup with the rice after steaming.
If not using cherry syrup, add some boiling water with butter or oil during steaming.
Garnish with slivered almonds and pistachios soaked in rosewater and lightly toasted in a bit of butter.
You can prepare sour cherry rice in a rice cooker or as a layered rice dish, placing the cherries between layers of rice.
Freezing Sour Cherries for Future Use:
Wash and pit the sour cherries.
Layer cherries and sugar in airtight, freezer-safe containers.
Freeze the containers, ensuring each holds a single serving of sour cherry rice.
A couple of hours before cooking, remove the container from the freezer and heat in a metal pot until the sugar dissolves and the cherries soften.
