Zucchini and Beetroot Fritters make a nutritious light breakfast or an addition to a picnic.
It must be the season for beetroot with a lovely supply at the markets this week. This recipe uses beetroot with the wonderfully fresh organic zucchini from the local farmers market. A simple weekend breakfast or a picnic snack. I love to experiment with the color and taste of beetroot, and mixed with the turmeric, these fritters develop a lovely color. Serve with yogurt and cucumber.
Zucchini and Beetroot Fritters
Beetroot is a wonderful nutritious vegetable, and adds an interesting color and taste to food.
Ingredients
Try brown rice zucchini cakes as a healthy and nutritious snack for picnics or a light lunch.
Turmeric adds that Persian touch. I often makes these delicious rice cakes as a lunch box filler for my hungry boys. This recipes uses the absorption method for cooking the rice. This is referred to in Farsi as “ketteh”.
We also love Brown Rice Salad and I always cook double the brown rice to use the rice in the salad recipe.
Brown Rice and Zucchini Cakes
A delicious and nutritious snack for picnics or a light lunch. Serve with a light tomato sauce.
Cook brown rice using the absorption method with vegetable stock
Set aside to cool
Grate zucchini
Finely chop shallots
Combine all ingredients and stir through until well combined
Heat frying pan and brush with vegetable oil
Cook rice cakes in batches until golden brown
Notes
The trick with this recipe is to ensure that the rices is well cooked. The rice is cooked using the absorption method “ketteh” where all the starches and nutrition are retained in the rice. Be sure to use enough vegetable stock, and don’t be afraid to add more liquid if required.
Baghali Polo is a traditional rice dish combining the flavours of the delicate Broad bean with Dill. This recipe includes chicken and becomes a complete meal. Although it can be a little time consuming to remove the outer husks from the bread bean, it is a quick and easy Iranian meal, served with Yoghurt, mixed tomato and cucumber salad and a bowl of Sabzi (fresh herbs).
Baghali Polo – Rice with Broad Beans, Dill & Chicken
A delicious Persian rice with layers of chicken, dill and broad beans
Place chicken, onion, salt and turmeric in a large saucepan with some vegetable oil.
Seer the outside of the chicken pieces, and add about 1 cup of water.
Lower heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked and the liquid has reduced.
Strain and wash the rice under running water until the water runs clear, to remove any remaining starch.
Remove the outer husks form the broad beans and discard.
In the bottom of a heavy based saucepan, or a Persian Rice cooker add the melted butter or olive oil.
Separate the 2 layers of the Lebanese bread and lay one piece on the butter in the bottom of the saucepan or Persian Rice Booker to form the tahdig.
Gently spoon a layer the rice over the bread.
Add a layer of cooked chicken and fresh Broad Beans.
Generously add a layer of dried dill.
Repeat the layers until the chicken and dill is used. Usually 2 layers of each. Finish with a layer of Rice.
Gently pour over any remaining juices form the chicken on the top. Add an extra knob of butter if desired.
Place a tea-towel or a cloth under the saucepan or rice cookers lid to absorb any excess moisture while the rice is steaming.
Cook on a high heat until the sides of the pan are hot to touch, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 – 45 minutes. Alternately if using a Persian Rice cooker, allow to run the full cycle.
Place the bottom of the saucepan or rice cooker pan in about 3 cm of water in a sink to loosen the tahdig.
Turn the pan upside down onto a round serving dish to serve.
Notes
This recipe uses flat Lebanese bread for the tahdig, you can also use potato if you wish.
Broad beans or Baghali is commonly used around the world. It is also known as Fava beans.
Baghali can be used fresh, frozen or dried. I prefer to use the frozen beans, and always have a couple of packets in the freezer.
Baghali Polo is a popular Iranian rice dish with dill.
If using the frozen beans, you will need to remove the lighter green out husk as shown in the pictures below. A little time consuming, but is well worth the effort.
Adas or more commonly known in the west as Green Lentils is an inexpensive source of protein.
Adas – green lentils – is the main ingredient for Adas Polo. Adas is readily available from regular supermarkets, either tinned or dried. The dried version requires cooking prior to using in rice dishes. Simply rapid boil in salted water until just soft. Using lentils in other recipes will require more cooking to make them softer and easier to mash.
Adas (green lentils) are a great source of carbohydrates and protein based dietary fibre having an average of 25% protein.
This Adas Polo recipe with Lamb, and although it takes a while to cook, it is one of the easiest Persian recipes.
Boil the lamb, onion, turmeric, salt pepper in a pressure cooker until the lamb pieces are well cooked.
Bring lamb, onions and tumeric to boil.
I usually then place this in fridge over night to remove excess fat that has solidified over night. Keep some though, as this is delicious on in the rice and adds the required fat to keep the rice grains separated and to crisp the tahdig at the bottom of the pan.
Cool stock to remove excess fat
If you wish, you can boil more lamb pieces and then store the remainder in the freezer to make the recipe a second time, for a lazy Sunday night meal. Just defrost the stock and lamb pieces before using.
Add cooked lamb with sultanas and cooked lentils
The rice is not precooked, rather washed and stirred through with the cooked adas (green lentils), boiled chunks of lamb, and sultanas. Then spooned into the rice cooker and the lamb stock is gently ladled over the rice. The rice cooker is then set to cycle through it’s normal cycle.
Stir though washed, uncooked rice
The trick to this Adas Polo recipes is to ensure that you use the correct amount of liquid to the rice. This can be quite varied depending on the type of rice you use. I usually find that 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of liquid ratio works well for the Indian Basmati rice.
Layer potato on the bottom of the rice dish
Spoon uncooked rice mixture over the potato slices
Add the lamb stock over the rice
I tend to prefer the green lentils over brown lentils for this recipe as the green lentils tend to retain there size and shape better during the cooking process in the rice cooker.
I have made this recipe with Brown rice, and it is equally delicious, but our family much prefer the white rice version. The natural sweetness of the sultanas makes a delicious combination through the rice and lentils.
Adas Polo with Lamb
Easy Adas Polo with Lamb
An easy version of the traditional rice dish with adas (green lentils), sultanas and lamb. This version allows for the rice to be cooked in the stock similar to Italian risotto
Place lamb, onion, salt and turmeric in a large saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil.
Lower heat and simmer until the meat is falling off the bones, about an hour.
Remove lamb, and discard the bones.
Boil the lentils in water till half cooked and strain.
Wash the rice in water and soak while the lamb is cooking.
Strain and wash under running water to remove any remaining starch.
In a large bowl, add the uncooked rice, lamb, lentils and sultanas and stir carefully to distribute the ingredients.
In the bottom of a heavy based saucepan, or a Persian Rice cooker ladle about 1/2 cup of lamb stock, and cover with a layer of sliced, peeled potato to form the tahdig.
Gently spoon the rice mixture over the potato.
Measure out 4 cups of stock and gently pour over the rice mixture, being careful not to dislodge the sliced potato.
Place a tea-towel or a cloth under the saucepan or rice cookers lid to absorb any excess moisture while the rice is steaming.
Cook on a high heat until the sides of the pan are hot to touch, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 – 45 minutes. Alternately if using a Persian Rice cooker, allow to run the full cycle.
Place the bottom of the saucepan or rice cooker pan in about 3 cm of water in a sink to loosen the tahdig.
Turn the pan upside down onto a round serving dish to serve.
Notes
A Persian rice cooker makes this dish much easier as the tahdig is formed perfectly each time without the risk of either soggy or burnt tahdig.
Lentils are high in protein and folate (folic acid) otherwise known as Vitamin B9, and are often a staple in vegetarian and vegan diets, making this recipe both economical and nutritious.
This recipe can be adapted to a vegetarian dish by replacing the the lamb with vegetables, such as carrot and celery, to develop a good quality vegetable stock.
Kookoo is a Persian style omelette or frittata. Kooko Sabzi is often served at the New Year celebration – Naw Ruz – Kookoo Sabzi is the most famous and popular of all the Persian Omelettes or Kookoo.
Kookoo Sabzi – Persian Herb Frittata
Kookoo is a Persian style omelette or frittata. Kooko Sabzi is often served at the New Year celebration – Naw Ruz – Kookoo Sabzi is the most famous and popular of all the Persian Omelettes or kookoo.
Soak dried herbs in water for about an hour, drain and pat dry and place in a mixing bowl
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and the barberries and walnuts if using to the herb mixture. Stir through.
Heat a round frying pan with oil until hot.
Mix the eggs together and pour into the herb mixture then pour into the frying pan while still stirring.
Turn down temperature and cook for about 20 minutes until the top is nearly set.
Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes until well cooked.
Notes
For a low fat version of kookoo sabzi, cook the kookoo in a shallow baking dish in the oven.You can use any dried herbs you have available, but this combination is a more traditional version. I use the prepackaged Kookoo Sabzi dried herb, and always keep a packet of this in my box of dried herbs.
Saffron powder is a great way of making the most of your saffron.
In a Persian household, saffron is like gold. It is often quite expensive, but this tip makes your saffron last a lot longer with saffron powder.
In a coffee or spice grinder place 1 tsp of good quality saffron, 2 tlbs sugar and 1/4 tsp of powdered orange food coloring (available from Indian grocers). Grind until a fine, pinky powder. Store in a spice shaker and use the powder where you would use saffron.
Saffron Powder with Polo Rice
Sprinkle saffron powder onto polo rice during the last stages of cooking. Gently stir through before serving.
How to Thicken Yogurt for a Creamy, Delicious Treat
Nothing is better than a good thick yogurt as a side dish to Persian Khoresh and polo rice. If you are buying yogurt, then buy the Greek yogurt as this is already traditionally thick but I prefer to my own homemade yogurt.
I often get asked how to make thick yogurt, and there is a simple trick that I use. When I make yogurt I always add a good quantity of dried milk powder, I add enough to double the consistency of the milk, for example if I am using 1 liter of milk, I add enough dried milk powder to make a liter of milk. For details of how to make yogurt is on my yogurt recipe.
A more traditional way of making thick yogurt it to strain it through a thin cheesecloth overnight, but an alternative to this is to place a clean toweling cloth on the top of freshly homemade yogurt, and place in refrigerator overnight. The cloth will absorb excess liquid making the yogurt a much thicker consistency, and I find it is less messy.
Thick Yogurt in Recipes
There are many ways to enjoy thick and creamy yogurt. You can eat it plain, or use it as a base for milkshakes, smoothies, dips, or salad dressings. You can also bake with it.
We use plain yogurt as side dish for khoresh and curries. If the dish is a little spicy, a dollop of plain thick plain yogurt will reduce the heat. I like it on the side to polo rice dishes and kebob also as it helps the meal from becoming too dry.
A Persian rice cooker is a must for perfect Persian rice every time.
A Persian Rice Cooker (Polo Paz) is a secret weapon to good tahdig. Be sure that when you purchase your rice cooker that you buy the Persian style rice cooker. Currently there are 2 types of electric rice cookers on the market. The Asian style rice cooker that steams the rice but doesn’t produce that amazing rice crust for which Persian rice is renowned, and the Persian rice cooker.
An automatic Persian rice cooker can be used for all kinds of Persian cuisine and rice dishes from Polo rice to steamed rice and Tahcheen. The non-stick pan and the controlled heating through the timer results in perfect rice and tahdig every time. Great for both plain steamed rice with a rich tahdig, and any layered rice dish such as Baghali Polo and Sabzi Polo. Our easy Adas Polo, where we use the lamb stock to cook the rice, also forms amazing tahdig with a set and forget feature. Just perfect every time.
Best rice for Persian Rice Cookers
It is important that you use a good long grain rice for your Persian Polo rice dishes. Basmati rice is fairly easy to find now in the west, and more and more middle Eastern grocers are stocking the good quality long grain Persian rice. When you prepare Persian rice it is also important that you wash it well to make sure you remove all the excess starch.
Features of the Iranian Rice Cooker
The authentic polo paz has a non-stick pan so when you turn out the rice it comes out perfectly every time. The design of the rice cooker allows that high heat towards the end of the cooking to create the crunchy tahdig, but you have to remember to place the tea-towel under the lid. This absorbs the excess steam to ensure that the tahdig doesn’t go soggy. Also remember the rice steaming pot will be very hot when the rice is cooked, so be sure to use oven mitts when turning over the rice.
The electric rice cooker is a must in a busy Persian family, where rice would be served at least 4 – 5 times a week. For our family of 5 we have 2 rice cookers, a 15 cup and a 7 cup. We use the smaller one when it is just our family and the larger one when we have guests, and when we have a lot of guests we will often us both. We use the Pars rice cooker as available from Amazon with the links below. We have been using the smaller one for more than 20 years and still running perfectly.
Buy a Persian Rice Cooker
I have found some Amazon links for the Pars Rice Cookers.
Some Recipes using the Persian Rice Cooker
I love Persian cooking and it is amazing how man different versions of Polo rice there are. Below are some of my favorite Persian rice recipes using the Polo Paz.
This recipe is something a little different. Layers of rice, broad beans, chopped garlic chives and small chicken meatballs, with tarragon. A friend recently gave me a huge bunch of fresh tarragon which inspired this recipe. Tarragon and chicken go together really well, and Baghali Polo is a firm favorite in our family. Garlic chives…
I recently had a similar dish to this at a friends house and it was absolutely delightful. So when we had left over Salmon from Christmas lunch this year I decided to make my own rendition of Sabzi Mahi Polo. Hope you enjoy it. My husband had cooked the salmon on the BBQ for Christmas…
Baghali Polo is a traditional rice dish combining the flavours of the delicate Broad bean with Dill. This recipe includes chicken and becomes a complete meal. Although it can be a little time consuming to remove the outer husks from the bread bean, it is a quick and easy Iranian meal, served with Yoghurt, mixed…
This Adas Polo recipe with Lamb, and although it takes a while to cook, it is one of the easiest Persian recipes. Boil the lamb, onion, turmeric, salt pepper in a pressure cooker until the lamb pieces are well cooked. I usually then place this in fridge over night to remove excess fat that has…
