Pistachio + Dill Rice

Name: Pistachio + Dill Rice (Pesteh Polow)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 35 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: Serves: 6
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in ¼ cup/60 ml rose water; 3 cups/255 g finely chopped fresh dill weed, washed or 1 cup/80 g dried; 2 tablespoons dried organic rose petals; 1 tablespoon ground cardamom; ¾ cup/180 ml oil, butter, or ghee; 1 cup crispy fried onions; 1 cup pomegranate arils (1 pomegranate) to garnish; 3 cups/300 g raw pistachio slivers, or whole pistachio kernels (see note below); 3 cups/600 g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, and rinsed

Pesteh Polow

Preparation info

Serves:
6

Difficulty
Complex
Ready in
2 hr 30

Appears in

Cooking in Iran

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2020

About

This rice is a complete meal in itself. However, Kermanis like to serve it with Lamb Shank Braise in Saffron and Rose Water. I also love to serve this rice with Spicy Sweet and Sour Fish.

Ingredients

rice

3 cups/600 g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, and rinsed

Asia
Iran
Main course
Gluten-free
Vegetarian

Method

For the rice: Bring 10 cups/2.4l water and 4 tablespoons fine sea salt to a boil in a large nonstick pot. Pour the rice into the pot and boil briskly for 6 minutes. Add the pistachios, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck grains. Bite a few grain