Name: Rice with Toasted Noodles and Dates with Bread Crust (Reshteh polow)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 cup (175 g) pitted dates, cut in halves; Zest 3 oranges; 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons oil; 1 teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 1½ pounds (675 g) boned leg of lamb, or chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch/2.5cm cubes; ½ teaspoon turmeric; 1 cup (150 g) raisins or currants; 2 teaspoons advieh (Persian spice mix)*; Lavash bread to fit the bottom of pot; 1 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 4 tablespoons orange-blossom water; ¼ teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons rose water; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 teaspoon advieh (Persian spice mix)*; ½ cup (120 ml) oil, butter, or ghee*; ½ pound (225 g) toasted Persian noodles (reshteh), cut into 3-inch/7.5cm lengths; 2 cups (400 g) long-grain basmati rice

Preparation info

Makes
6
servings

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
2 hr 30

Appears in

Food of Life

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2011

About

Ingredients

Meat

3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1½ pounds (

Method

To cook the lamb: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium-sized pot, and brown the onion and lamb. Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, advieh, and lime juice. Pour in 1½ cups/320ml water. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours over low heat until the meat is tender. Add the saffron-rose water, cover, and keep warm until ready to serve either over the rice or beside it.
For t