Recipe - Rice With Apricots (Gheisi Polow)

3 cup Basmati rice
One half cup Olive oil; or less
1 pound Lamb; cubed, optional or
chicken, see note
1 Onion; thinly cut or sliced up
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black pepper
2 One fourth cup Dried apricot halves
One half cup Raisins
One half cup Pitted dates
One fourth cup Crystallized ginger; cut or sliced up
1 teaspoon Ground rose petals
One half teaspoon Ground cardamom
One half teaspoon Ground cinnamon
One half teaspoon Ground nutmeg
One half teaspoon Cayenne pepper; optional
4 tablespoon Plain lowfat yogurt
1 teaspoon Ground saffron; dissolved in
2 tablespoon Hot water

1. Pick over and wash 3 cups of rice 5 times in warm water. If using lon
grain American or Texmnati rice, it is not necessary to soak or wash five
times once is sufficient.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet and saute meat and onion
over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, 1One half cups water, and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet and saute apricots,
raisins, dates, and ginger. Add spices, mix well, and set aside.

4. Bring 6 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large nonstick
pot. Pour the washed and drained rice into the pot. Boil briskly for 6 to
10 minutes stirring gently with a wooden spoon twice to loosen any grains
that n ay have stuck to the bottom. Drain rice in a large freestanding
sieve or strainer.

5. In a bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons oil, One half cup water, 2 spatulas
full of rice 4 tablespoons yogurt and 1 tablespoon saffron water and spread
this mixture over the bottom of the pot to help make a golden crust (tah
dig).

6. Place 2 spatulas full of rice in the pot. Add 1 spatula full of the
apricot mixture and 1 spatula of the meat mixture. Repeat, alternating the
rice with the fruit and meat to make a pyramid. Cover and cook for 10
minutes over medium heat.

7. Pour 1 tablespoon oil over the rice, then add the remaining saffron
water.

8. Place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and
cover firmly with lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook another 50
minutes over low heat. Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool for 5
minutes on a damp surface without uncovering it.

9. Remove the lid and place a round serving dish over the pot. Hold the pot
and dish together tightly while flipping the pot to unmold the rice. The
rice will be like a cake and can then be garnished with edible flowers or
herbs and cut into wedges. Nushe Jan!

MEAT: 1 pound boned leg of lamb, or chicken, cut in 1inch cubes.

VARIATION: Mmake the rice without the meat and serve with grilled lamb
chops on the side or omitted completely.

TIME : 15 mins prep, 1 hr 20 mins cooking.

*REF: PERSIAN COOKING FOR A HEALTHY KITCHEN, by Najmieh Batmanglij (1997:
Mage) Publisher's url: http://www.mage.com/PC.html)

1998Apr16 Hanneman (MCPER SERVING with lamb: 25% cff 833 calories,
23 g fat)

Recipe by: PERSIAN COOKING FOR A HEALTHY KITCHEN by Najmieh Batmangli

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by KitPATh phannema@wizard.ucr.edu on Apr 16,
1998