Dried Shrimp with Lentils + Rice

Name: Dried Shrimp with Lentils + Rice (Havari-e Maygu-e Khoshk ba Adas)
Prep time: 1 h 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: Serves: 6
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: 1½ cups/300 g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, and rinse; ½ lb/225 g russet potatoes (about 1 potato), peeled and diced into 1 in/2.5 cm cubes; ½ cup/100 g brown lentils, soaked 30 minutes, drained, and rinsed; 1 cup/240 ml oil or ghee; 1 cup/200 g peeled tomato puree (about 1 large tomato), or canned peeled tomatoes; 1 teaspoon Bandari seven-spice advieh or curry powder; ⅛ teaspoon ground saffron threads dissolved in 1 tablespoon water (optional); ½ cup/75 g currants; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 onions, peeled and sliced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; 8 oz/225 g dried shrimp, soaked in cold water for 1 hour and drained; 2 teaspoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons ground hearts of dried Persian limes; 1 teaspoons turmeric; ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Havari-e Maygu-e Khoshk ba Adas

Preparation info

Serves:
6

Difficulty
Complex
Ready in
3 hr 30

Appears in

Cooking in Iran

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2020

About

Using dried shrimp in this rice and lentil dish gives it a richer taste than you might expect—a kind of umami. Locals told me that in the old days they used dried grasshoppers/malakh in the dish.

Ingredients

rice + lentils

1½ cups/300 g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, and rinse
½ cup/

Asia
Iran
Fish course
Pescatarian
Gluten-free

Method

For the rice and lentils: In a large nonstick pot, bring 8 cups/1.9l water and 2 tablespoons fine sea salt to a boil. Add the rice and lentils and boil briskly for 10 minutes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains stuck to the bottom of the pot. Drain t