Persian Lubia Polo (Green Bean Rice)

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil at medium setting in a cooking pot. Add the chopped onions and sauté few minutes. Then add the grated garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are light golden brown.

Step 2

Add the ground lamb and sauté. Then add all the spices, dried herbs, 1/2 tsp salt (advieh/curry powder through lemon powder) and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green beans.

Step 3

Next add the tomato paste and mix it well. If the mixture is too thick, may add a some water, cover and let it simmer until the beans are 3/4th done. It will continue to cook in the steaming process in the next steps. The mixture should be moist but not too wet.

Step 4

Rinse the white basmati rice in water several times until the water is clear and not starchy. Then drain the rice very well in a colander. (Tip: Basmati rice often has fine starchy powder on the top and you must get rid of that.)

Step 5

Stove Top Method: Bring 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add the rice and allow it to boil at medium high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes until the rice grains are soft. Stir the rice in between. Drain the rice and set aside. (Tip: The rice should be cooked to al dente stage. It should have expanded well, soft at the tips, see a white dot in the center and holds its shape well).

Step 6

Rice Cooker Method: Bring 3 cups water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a rolling boil. Add the rice and cook it just until all the water is absorbed, which should take about 15 to 20 minutes in a rice cooker. Do not let the rice steam after the water is absorbed. Or it will clump together.

Step 7

Stove Top Method: Place the cooked rice with the sautéed meat/green bean mixture in several alternating layers in a heavy bottomed wide cooking pot. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon olive oil and saffron water all over. (Tip: You can make an optional potato crust or rice crust - video).

Step 8

Turn up the heat to medium high for about 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to the low setting and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or more until the steam builds up well.

Step 9

Rice Cooker Method: Alternatively, you could also layer the rice with meat/green beans and steam it together in a rice cooker. (Tip: You can make an optional potato crust or rice crust - video).

Step 10

Once the rice is ready, turn off the heat. Gently mix the layers of the Persian Green bean rice.

Step 11

Serve this Persian lubia polo with salad shirazi or Persian yogurt dip with shallots or a green salad, pickles and/or pickled olives.

Step 12

Bring 3½ cups water to a boil. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the brown rice first. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Then add the white basmati rice to the same pot. Let it all simmer till the grains are well done.

Step 13

Bring 1 ⅓* cups of water to a rolling boil in a sauce pan. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and 3/4 tablespoon olive oil. Then add 2/3 cup brown basmati rice, stir and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and allow it to cook until all the water is absorbed for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 14

In a cooking pot, bring 4 cups of water and 3/4 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add the white basmati rice and let it boil at medium high heat for 5-6 minutes until the rice grains are soft. Make sure to stir the rice while it is cooking. Drain the rice well in a colander and set aside.

Step 15

Proceed with the remaining assembly steps above in section "Assemble Rice with Meat/Green Beans".