Ālbālu Polo bā Ghel Gheli

Name: Ālbālu Polo bā Ghel Gheli (Sour Cherry Rice with Petite Meatballs)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (500 g) fresh sour cherries, pitted; ½ cup (100 g) unrefined cane sugar, or to taste; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon saffron threads, ground and bloomed in 4 tablespoons (60 ml) hot water, divided; 8 cups (1.9 l) water; 2 cups (400 g) basmati rice, soaked for 1 hour and rinsed; 1 lb (450 g) ground beef or lamb; 1 lb (450 g) ground beef or lamb; 1 small onion, grated; 1 teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom; ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil; 1 tablespoon pistachios, coarsely chopped; 1 tablespoon slivered almonds

Sour Cherry Rice with Petite Meatballs

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Bitter & Sweet

By Omid Roustaei and Lauren Ko

Published 2025

About

Ālbālu is the Persian word for sour cherries, which are highly prized in Iranian cuisine for their distinctive color and intense flavor. Ālbālu polo truly encompasses a wide array of flavors, from sour and sweet to salty, complemented by soft and crispy textures and vibrant, uplifting colors.

Ingredients

For the Rice Mixture

3 cups (500 g) fresh sour cherries, pitted
½ cup (100

Americas
Asia
Iran
United States
Main course
Gluten-free

Method

There are several steps to making Iranian rice dishes, so make sure you have your ingredients and equipment lined up and have given yourself enough time.

To make the rice mixture, place the cherries and sugar in a saucepan, stir, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the cherries soften as the juices cook down, about 20 minutes. Combined w