Shirin Polo is a traditional Persian sweet rice dish often served at weddings and special celebrations. Made with saffron basmati rice, candied carrots and orange peel, raisins, pistachios, and almonds, this jeweled rice is a stunning side for roast meats, chicken, or fish.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Persian
Keyword jeweled rice, persian sweet rice, shirin pollo, shirin polo
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour20 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour35 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 416kcal
Author Laura Bashar | Family Spice
Ingredients
3cupbasmati rice
2tablespoonsalt
1tablespoonhot water
¼teaspooncrushed saffron
1 ½tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
1russet potatocut into ¼-inch thick circles
4tablespoonunsalted buttercut into small pieces
2medium-sized oranges
2tablespoongranulated sugar
1carrotabout 3 ounces
¼teaspoonground cinnamon
¼cupalmond slivers
¼cuppistachioscoarsely chopped
1cupCalifornia Raisinsred and/or golden
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Instructions
In a medium-sized bowl soak rice with water. Gently wash the rice by stirring the rice in the water with your hand. This helps wash some of the starch and grit out. Pour out the water and repeat two more times.
After washing and draining the rice a third time, cover the rice again with water then stir in 1 tablespoon salt.
In a small bowl mix hot water and saffron. Set aside for it to steep.
Fill a 5-quart non-stick pot with 8 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring water to boil.
When the water has come to boil, pour out the water in the bowl containing the soaking rice. Add the wet rice to the boiling water.
When the water comes to boil again and the rice floats to the top of the pot (approximately 6 minutes), pour the contents of the pot through a fine colander. You know your rice is ready to strain if you bite a rice kernel and the center is still uncooked.
Return the pot to the burner, set heat to medium and add olive oil. Arrange the potato slices onto the bottom of the pot in one single layer.
Using a spatula, gently scoop the drained rice into the pot. Make sure you do not push the rice in together as this will result in mushy rice. Scatter the rice throughout the pot, in a pyramid shape until finished. Your pot should not be filled to the top. You will need about 3 inches between the top of your rice and the top of the pot.
Using the handle of a long wooden spoon or another utensil, gently press a hole down the center of the rice to allow the steam to travel freely through the pot.
Scatter 2 tablespoon of butter pieces along the top of the rice.
Cover the lid of your pot with a clean towel or several paper towels, and set firmly over your pot to prevent steam from escaping. The towel will keep the condensation from dropping back into your rice and turning the rice into mush.
After 7 minutes, lower the heat to low and let the rice finish cooking for another 45 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the toppings.
Using a sharp knife or peeler remove the skin from oranges. Remove the pith, the white part of the skin, from the peel and cut into thin strips about 1-inch long.
In a small pan over medium heat add orange peels and ¼ cup water with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until syrupy, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
Cut carrots into match-stick size strips. In a small pan over medium heat add carrots and 1 tablespoon butter.
When carrots soften, about 5 minutes, stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon.
Cook for another 5 minutes and stir in ½ teaspoon of the saffron water. Remove carrots from heat and reserve.
In a small pan, dry toast nuts over medium heat. Once toasted, remove from heat and reserve.
In a small pan over medium-heat combine 1 tablespoon butter and raisins. Cook for 3 minutes then stir in ½ teaspoon of the saffron water. Reserve the raisins.
When rice is done steaming, scoop out a spatula-full of rice and place in small bowl. Stir in remaining saffron water and stir to make the rice uniformly golden.
Using a spatula to remove the remaining rice and scatter onto your serving platter. Top with the saffron rice. Place the crunchy potatoes around the rice or serve on a separate plate.
Scatter over the top of the rice the reserved candied carrots, candied orange peel, raisins, almond and pistachio slivers.
Notes
TO STORE: Store any leftover rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. I personally don’t like how the rice texture changes when thawed after freezing, so I don’t freeze it. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.