March 11, 2021, 1:27 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Everyone should try the Persian rice dish Adas Polo at least once. This delicacy has been loved in the region for centuries. With our recipe, you can also cook Adas Polo.
Adas Polo is a Persian rice dish that includes lentils, dates, raisins, and a variety of spices. Like some world dishes featured on TRAVELBOOK, the dish can be easily explained by its name. Adas means lentils in Persian, and Polo means rice.
The raisins and dates give Adas Polo a sweet note. Ingredients typical of Iran, such as saffron, cinnamon, and turmeric, are also essential in our recipe for Adas Polo. However, you can be flexible with the ingredients. Add what you like and leave out what you don’t enjoy as much.
The Persians are said to have cooked the dish as early as the 13th century. Today, Adas Polo is often served with fried eggs, meatballs, or chicken. Attention vegans and vegetarians: Our recipe contains no meat or animal products if you substitute butter with oil.
Recipe for Persian Adas Polo (4 Servings)
Ingredients
- 500g Basmati rice
- 250g mountain lentils
- 2 onions
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 10 dates
- 200g raisins
- 1 tbsp butter (or another fat as a vegan alternative)
- 1 tsp saffron threads
How about a recipe for Ramen from Japan?
Preparation
- Fill a bowl with cold water and salt it. Then pour in the rice and let it sit for about an hour.
- Cook the lentils for about 25 minutes.
- Crush the cardamom and press the seeds out of the pods. Place them in a mortar and add coriander, cumin, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well and grind.
- Pour 50 ml of boiling water over the saffron threads.
- Soak the raisins in cold water for 30 minutes.
- Slice the onions and sauté them in a pan for about 15 minutes. Then season with turmeric.
- Chop the dates.
- Drain the lentils when they are cooked to al dente.
- Drain the rice after an hour and cook it in a pot for six minutes. Then drain the rice and raisins again.
- Mix the rice with the beans and stir well.
- Heat the butter and roast the raisins and dates in it. Add the spice mix and saffron water. Then remove the dried fruits from the heat and mix them into the bean-rice mixture. Also, mix in the onions.
Enjoy your meal!