Jan 24
I recently bought some tiny shrimp and wanted to make Shrimp Rice (AKA Meigoo Polo). I took a combination of what Persian recipes there are for Meigoo Polo and made some adjustments. Many people make the dish with Kateh (a specific style rice where you don’t drain out the water…). I am sure in the future I will try variations of this dish, but for the time being here is what I cooked up 
Meigoo Polo
Ingredients (4 - 6 servings):
Approximately .5 lbs small shrimp
4 cups rice
2 1/2 tablespoons butter — you may melt more butter later to add to the dish, or add more at this time if you don’t want the rice to be dry
1/2 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
3/4 to 1 cup heated water
1/2 teaspoon curry
garlic powder (optional)
salt/pepper
parsley (optional)
eggs (optional)
Directions:
Rinse the rice a few times until the water is clear. Then soak the rice in water (add salt to the water as well).
In a pot boil the shrimp for approximately 10 minutes. Once the shrimp is cooked drain out the water and set aside until the sauce is ready. In a sauce pan heat the butter and then add the flour and stir until an even mixture is formed (mixture is smooth). Mix the tomato paste with the heated water and then add the mixture to the sauce pan and mix well with the flour and butter mixture (again make sure mixture is smooth). Add curry, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. If you want add a bit of chopped fresh parsley, or dry parsley flakes to the sauce. Once all the ingredients are mixed into the sauce add the shrimp to the sauce and set on medium low heat.
Once the sauce is prepared and cooking, heat up water in a large pot to prepare the rice. When the water comes to a boil add in the rice you were soaking. Once the rice is ready pour the contents in a strainer to drain out the water. Add 1 tablespoon water to the pot and then add some oil and place it back on the stove top (still close to high heat). When the oil is heated pour in the rice and cover for it to steam (dam bekeshe). After about 5 minutes turn down the temperature of the stove top (close to low). Wait another 5 minutes then lift the lid off of the pot and pour in the shrimp sauce mixture and mix in with the rice a bit then place the lid back on the pot and allow to cook on low heat for an additional 30 minutes.
You can choose to add the shrimp sauce mixture at the beginning when you add the rice into the pot and allow it to prepare all at once. I wanted to make sure I get Tah-dig (crispy rice crust), so I chose to let the rice crust set first then add the sauce. Either way its your choice 
If you want to add something more to the dish you can boil 3 to 4 eggs (hard boiled eggs) and then cut them up and add to the rice when you serve it.
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Tagged with: curry • Eggs • Flour • Rice • Shrimp • Tomato Paste
Nov 19
The main Khoresht used for making Loobia Polo is Khoreshte Loobia Sabz, which I have explained previously under Khoreshte Loobia Sabz (Green Bean Stew) . I will explain the steps for the Khoresht below as well. The main difference will be that the end product of the Khoreshte Loobia Sabz will be mixed in with the rice to cook.
Loobia Polo (Green Bean Rice)
Ingredients (serving for 4-6 people):
Cut green beans — I used half a bag of frozen cut green beans
Stew meat — used less than .5 lbs, you will want to chop the meat into little pieces
1 full tablespoon Tomato Paste — you can use more if you prefer
Limoo Amani (optional) — you can also use powdered limoo amani
Lemon juice
Salt/pepper
turmeric
1 medium onion — finely chopped
oil
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
3 to 3 1/2 cups rice –rinse the rice well until it is cleaned and then soak in water…add salt to the water you are soaking the rice in and set aside for awhile (or until the Khoresht (stew) is ready)
Potato (optional) — if you wish to have tahdig sibzamini (potato crispy slices) of your rice have cut slices of potato you
Directions:
First wash your rice and soak it in water as mentioned in the ingredients section.
In a pot heat up some oil and add your chopped onions to it. Once the onion begin turning a golden color and becomes tender add your meat to the pot. Stir around the meat and then add turmeric, salt, and pepper. Add your green beans to the pot and allow them to fry a bit (if frozen you may have to fry it a bit longer for the ice to melt as well). Add water to the pot, followed by tomato paste and lemon juice (if you choose you can add limoo amani as well). Place the lid on the pot and allow the Khoresht to cook on a medium heat (approximately 1 hour). You will know the khoresht is ready when it has thickened a bit (less watery) and gives out oil.
Once the Khoreshte Loobia is ready in a different pot heat up water on high heat to prepare the rice. Once the water comes to a boil, pour out the water the rice has been soaking in and pour the rice into the pot. When the rice comes to a boil remove it from the heat before it overflows and use a strainer to empty the rice from the pot. In the same pot add some water ( 1/2 a cup) and some oil and place it back on the stove top (still on high heat). At this point if you wish to have tahdig sibzamini you can place cut potato slices on the bottom of the pot (wait till the oil is heated before doing so)…also if you wish to use potato slices be sure to add a bit more oil to the pot. Add half the rice into the pot then pour a layer of the Khoreshte Loobia onto the rice, then add the remaining rice and add any remaining Khoreshte Loobia on top. You can mix around the contents a bit and then place a towel over the lid of the pot and cover the pot. Once the steam begins escaping the pot you can turn the stove top heat to a low temperature. You may want to wait a bit longer before turning the heat to low if you are using potato slices. Let the Loobia Polo cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours and then serve.
Here are some more pictures from Loobia Polo
And another one:
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Tagged with: Beef • Green Beans • Limoo Amani • Tomato Paste
Nov 05
I didn’t know of this dish until I became friends with plenty of people from Shiraz. Its a vary tasty Persian recipe that can be eaten with Koofteh (meatballs) or chicken. The Shevid Loobia (Loobia Polo Shirazi) I have explained below is made with Koofteh (meatballs). Also, a key item that adds a sweet and sour taste is the Rob va Shireh (a pomegranate and sugar syrup) that is poured over the Shevid Loobia rice.
Shevid Loobia
Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
3 cups rice –rinse rice and soak in warm water for 2-3 hours, add salt to the water
1 cup black eye peas –I used Persian black eye peas from Shiraz that are extremely tiny, so I used less than 1 cup of black eye peas — rinse the beans and soak in cold water for 2-3 hours
1 large onion –half to be grated for the ground beef and half to be chopped up
.75 lb to 1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup Shevid (dill) — dry dill or fresh dill
turmeric
salt/pepper
pomegranate paste — desired amount (the more you use the more sour your syrup will be)
sugar –desired amount (the more you use the sweeter your syrup will be)
3/4 cup water
oil
Loobia Polo Shirazi
Directions:
For the Koofteh (meatballs) — in a bowl add the grated onion, ground beef, some turmeric powder, salt, pepper, and any other desired spices. Mix ingredients well. In a frying pan heat up oil (medium heat) and add the chopped onion. Begin forming tiny meatballs and placing it in the frying pan. Once all the Koofteh is prepared stir the contents around and then place the lid on top of the frying pan. Leave the heat on a medium-low temperature and all the meatballs to cook.
In a small pot boil some water and add the loobia (beans). Allow them to cook on a medium heat for 20-30 minutes (or until soft) then drain out water in a strainer.
Shevid Loobia
In a large pot bring water to a boil and add the loobia into this pot, then add the rice. Allow the rice to boil and then you want to strain the contents and drain out the water. If you are using fresh dill you will need to add it into the pot as well. Return the pot to the stove top and add 1/2 a cup water to the pot and some oil. If using dry dill add half of the rice to the pot then sprinkle the dill over the rice and cover with the remaining rice. Place a towel or cloth over the lid of the pot and place it on the pot. The stove top temperature should be on high, and once steam begins leaving the sides of the pot you will take the temperature down to low. Leave on the stove top for over 45 minutes (the longer it stays the crispier your tah digh will become).
In a small pot you need to pour in the water (3/4 cup) and bring it to a boil. Add the amount of sugar you prefer and stir, then add some robeh anar (pomegranate paste). You will end up with a syrup that has a sweet and sour taste and goes very well with Shevid Loobia (Loobia Polo Shirazi).
When the Shevid Loobia polo (rice) is done you want to mix together the dill with the rice as you are taking it out of the pot. Serve with the koofteh and pomegranate/sugar syrup. If you choose you can add some saffron to the a bit of the rice and sprinkle it on top of the rice in the serving dish. Its best to not pour the syrup over all the Shevid Loobia, but to allow everyone to add it themselves to the Shevid Loobia in their plates.
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Tagged with: Beef • Black Eye Peas • Dill • Pomegranate Paste • Sugar
