Chekdirmeh – Traditional Turkmen One-Pot Rice and Lamb (چکدرمه)
A comforting one-pot Turkmen dish made with lamb, caramelised onions, and tomatoes — cooked slowly with rice until rich, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. My take on a classic from northern Iran.
Adas Polo – Persian Lentil, Raisin and Date Rice
Adas Polo is a delicious Persian rice dish, that’s adorned with lentils, raisins and dates. The lentils provide a source of protein, while the raisins and dates give the dish its natural sweetness.
It makes a wholesome vegetarian meal, however if you’re not satisfied with the meatless version, you can add mince/ground beef or lamb to it. That’s what I did this time, so that I could tell you how. But if you want my honest opinion, Adas Polo doesn’t need any meat.
Reshteh Polo - Persian Noodle Rice with Onions and Raisins
Reshteh Polo is a widely loved Persian rice dish. The floral aroma of the saffron rice combined with the sweetness of the caramelised onions and raisins make for a multifaceted dish - too good for a humble side dish really. The brown noodles in the rice create the most mouthwatering tahdig (the crispy bits from the bottom of the pot)!
Kabuli Pulao – The Afghan National Dish
Kabuli Pulao is an incredibly delicious dish from Afghanistan, as the name suggests. This light and aromatic rice dish with lamb, other meat or poultry, that’s jewelled with carrots and raisins is the Afghan national dish. It is also popular in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Other forms of spelling include Qabuli Pulao, Qabeli Palaw and Qabuli Palau. In Persian, we call it Qabeli Polo.
Qabuli, Qabeli, Kabuli, … whatever you may call it, it’s absolutely drool-worthy and I dare you to give it a try! The first time I had it in an Afghan restaurant a few years back it became one of my wife’s and my favourite dishes. I’m sure you’ll love it too, so I just had to borrow this yummy dish from our neighbours and come up with a recipe for it.
Polo Zaferooni - Persian Saffron Rice
Polo Zaferooni is the basis of Persian Cuisine. Most of the Persian stews and kabab dishes are served with Persian Saffron Rice. It’s like the foundation of a house. Making aromatic, fluffy rice is the first thing you want to pay attention to when starting your Persian culinary journey. Since it is served with almost every dish you’ll have plenty of opportunity to master it.
Albaloo Polo – Persian Saffron and Sour Cherry Rice
Albaloo Polo is one of Iran's most beautiful rice dishes. Sweet, sour and fragrant, it combines fluffy saffron rice with sour cherries and tiny meatballs. The key is preserving the shape of the cherries and keeping the rice light and fluffy. This version uses a layered steaming method that creates incredible flavour while keeping the rice separate and delicate.