Kohlrabi + Herb Rice with Meatballs

Name: Kohlrabi + Herb Rice with Meatballs (Kalam Polow-ye Shirazi)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: Serves: 6 to 8
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 cups/400 g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, and rinsed; 2 lb/900 g kohlrabi, peeled, hard parts removed and cut into ½ in/1 cm cubes; ½ cup/120 ml oil; 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced; ¼ cup/60 ml oil; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 3 tablespoons cumin seeds; ¼ cup/60 ml oil, for frying; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon; 1 teaspoon ground saffron threads dissolved in 4 tablespoons rose water; 2 cups/170 g chopped fresh tarragon or ⅔ cup/60 g dried; 1 cup/85 g chopped fresh parsley; 1 cup/85 g chopped fresh cilantro; 1 cup/85 g chopped spring onions (white and green parts); 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated; 1 cup/85 g chopped fresh basil; 1 lb/450 g ground lamb or chicken thigh meat; ¼ cup/20 g chopped fresh basil leaves; 1 small onion, peeled, grated and juice squeezed out (discard the juice)

Kalam Polow-ye Shirazi

Preparation info

Serves:
6 to 8

Difficulty
Complex
Ready in
3 hr

Appears in

Cooking in Iran

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2020

About

Ingredients

meatballs

1 lb/450 g ground lamb or chicken thigh meat
1 small onion, pee

Asia
Iran
Main course
Gluten-free

Method

For the meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs except the oil and saffron-rose water and knead lightly to form a paste.
Place the oil in a wide skillet, then with damp hands form the paste into meatballs the size of hazelnuts and add them to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes undisturbed, then swirl and