READY IN 4+ hrs

Adas Polow (Persian Rice and Lentils)

Read Reviews (5)

"It is an Iranian food." — xxxx

Directions

Place the rice in a bowl, and cover with water. Soak the rice for about 3 hours, and drain off the water. Bring the rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain the liquid from the rice, and set the rice aside.
Bring 2 more cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan, and stir in the lentils. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry the onions, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set the onions aside. Dissolve the saffron in 1/3 cup of hot water, and set aside.
In a large nonstick pot with deep sides, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering, and spoon in half the rice to cover the bottom of the pot. Top the rice with the lentils, and cover the lentils with the remaining rice. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is completely tender and there is a golden brown, crusty layer of rice on the bottom of the pot, about 20 minutes. Pour the saffron water over the rice and lentils, cover, and allow to cook until absorbed, about 10 more minutes.
To serve, spoon the polow into a serving dish, and peel off and place pieces of the crusty rice layer on top of the polow. Decorate the polow with dates, raisins, and fried onions.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 1 hr 15 mins
READY IN 4 hrs 35 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Feb 07, 2011

I love Persian rice dishes and have been experimenting for awhile with different recipes. The cooking technique for this dish is right on based upon my research. I do have a few tips, however. For best results use Basmati rice. In addition to soaking the rice I rinsed it gently until the water ran clear. Watch the rice carefully when you're parboiling it. 8-9 minutes was plenty for me. For the final cooking stage with the lentils make sure you use a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid like a dutch oven. Finally, I cover the pot with a damp dish towel and then put the lid on. This helps to ensure the perfect individual grains that Persian rice is known for. As long as the heat is on low you can cook for more than the 30 minutes suggested. The key to this rice is a crispy layer at the bottom of the pan and this recipe doesn't disappoint. The onions, dates and raisins are garnishes in my opinion, but don't skimp on the saffron. Excellent. Thanks XXXX!

—jesusitadelnorte

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Aug 13, 2010

hey!!well i just wanna add you can omit the dates and raisins serve it with feta cheese or fried fish thats how the Rashties have it!

—sahar

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6 Ratings

Feb 19, 2012

i think in stage 3 after you fried unions,then add one cup or more ground red meat and little spice(such as Turmeric and black pepper powder),and stir union and meat together,till the colour of meat changed,then in little pan with 1 or 2 table spoon vegetable oil and low heat pour raisins,note:you should take raisins immidiatly before it fried and change its colours completely,and if you like add it to meat or add it to adas polow seprately,this will be more delicious . . .

—aydan28

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Nov 28, 2011

6 Stars!!! This is one of my husband's favorite foods! Good with some plain yogurt, too. The recipe takes practice, but pays off since the procedure is a common one for Persian Rice recipes. The tasty, crispy rice covering "bottom of the pot" is hard for anyone to resist. Thanks XXXX.....keep the recipes coming!

—Sunny Nature

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May 29, 2013

The taste was good, but this was a challenge to make! The rice stuck to the pan so the presentation was awkward! I loved having the dates, raisins and onions cover the portion of where the rice wasn't!

—sueb

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Nutrition

Calories
537 kcal
27%

Carbohydrates
100.4 g
32%

Cholesterol
0 mg
0%

Fat
7.9 g
12%

Fiber
17.7 g
71%

Protein
17.7 g
35%

Sodium
209 mg
8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Adas Polow (Persian Rice and Lentils)

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 537
Calories from Fat: 71

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7.9g 12 %
Saturated Fat 1.3g 6 %
Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
Sodium 209mg 8 %
Potassium 787mg 22 %
Total Carbohydrates 100.4g 32 %
Dietary Fiber 17.7g 71 %
Protein 17.7g 35 %
** Sugars 20.5g
Vitamin A < 1 %
Vitamin C 9 %
Calcium 9 %
Iron 66 %
Thiamin 61 %
Niacin 54 %
Vitamin B6 28 %
Magnesium 32 %
Folate 206 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.