Morasa Polo – Persian Jeweled Rice

Pane-bistecca

Morasa Polo – Persian Jeweled Rice is another recipe from Iran cooked by my sister Marisa.

Marisa says: Morasa Polo – also known as jewel rice – is one of the most traditional Iranian dishes, garnished with a variety of colorful ingredients. It is somewhat similar to Shirin Polo and is often confused with it. The difference is that the ingredients are served on top of the rice, whereas in Shirin Polo they are mixed in with the rice. In addition, Shirin Polo is sweet (shirin = sweet), as its name suggests.

My sister has already shared some recipes from her treasure trove of Iranian recipes with me. I have often eaten at her house and I am absolutely thrilled! I also feasted in Iran when I was invited to a wedding. here are some impressions of it. A dream come true! The food is incredibly good!

Prep time

50 min

Rest time

4 h

Cooking time

2 h

Portions

4-6

Total time

6 h 50 min

Ingredients for 4 Persons

4 – 5 cups white Rice
400 g Chicken Breast
70 g golden Raisins
70 g Barbaries
3 large Onion
40 g Almond slivers
Orange peel from 2 large Oranges (without the white part of the peel)
2 tsp brewed Safron (1/2 tsp Saffron soaked in like warm water)
½ tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper
Turmeric to taste
Rose Water
Potatoes thinly sliced or Flatbread for the Rice

For 6 Persons add:

50 g Pistachios cut lengthwise
70 g Walnuts chopped

Instructions

Step 1

Wash the rice thoroughly several times. Then fill a bowl with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and soak the rice for half an hour to two hours.

Step 2

Peel the oranges with a potato peeler. Cut into thin slices and place in a bowl of water – leave to soak for about an hour.

Step 3

Then heat the orange peels in a pot over high heat. Boil briefly. Then change the water and boil again. Repeat this three to four times to remove the bitterness.

Step 4

Fry the chopped orange peel with two tablespoons of oil. Then candy the peel with a tablespoon of sugar. Set aside.

Step 5

Wash and pat dry the chicken breast, then cut into medium-sized cubes. Place these in a large mixing bowl.

Step 6

Cut an onion into thin slices. Add the sliced onion, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to the bowl with the chopped chicken. Mix the ingredients well.

Step 7

If you have enough time, cover the ingredients with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or longer to marinate the chicken.

Step 8

Peel, wash, and finely chop the remaining onions. Sauté the chopped onions in 2 tablespoons of oil until translucent.

Step 9

Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and place it in a pan. Add ground turmeric and black pepper to the pan, add the onions and rest of marinade and stir. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes..

Step 10

Then add the brewed saffron, salt, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a little cinnamon to the ingredients, mix everything together, and sauté for one minute. Then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Step 11

If you have a Polopaz (rice cooker for Persian rice), pre-cook the rice as usual. If you want a potato or flatbread crust, follow the instructions below and then cook the rice as usual.

Step 1 Rice cooking without Polopaz

Fill a pot with 6 cups of water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Drain the soaked rice, add it to the pot, and simmer for about 7 minutes until the rice is half cooked.

Step 2

Once the rice is soft on the outside but still raw on the inside, remove it from the pot and rinse it in a sieve with cold water to remove excess salt.

Step 3

Coat the bottom of a pot with liquid oil, then place a layer of sliced potatoes or flatbread on the bottom of the pot. This creates a crispy layer called tahdig and prevents the rice from burning. However, it also works with rice alone.

Step 4

Add the rice to the pot and form a dome. Use the handle of your spatula to make one or two holes in the rice, add some butter and put the lid on. Cook over medium-high heat until steam rises.

Step 5

After about 5 minutes, when the rice is steaming, cover the lid with a cloth and place the pot on a heat diffuser. Reduce the heat to low and steam the rice for about 45 minutes.

Step 12

Soak the chopped almonds and pistachios in rose water. Soak the barberries in plain water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Keep everything in separate containers!

Step 13

Rinse the nuts (walnuts, almonds separately, do not mix) and barberries. Place a pan over medium heat and add oil. First add the chopped almonds to the pan and fry for 2–3 minutes until they shine. Remove from the pan and set aside. Do the same with the walnuts. The pistachios do not need to be fried.

Step 14

Add the barberries and a tablespoon of sugar to the pan, sauté for one minute until they become shiny, then set aside. Stir the barberries carefully while cooking, as they burn quickly. Set aside.

Step 15

Now add the raisins to the pan and fry for 30 seconds. Then set aside.

Step 16

Place half of the cooked rice on a large serving platter and top with a layer of sautéed chicken. Then add the remaining cooked rice and pour some brewed saffron over it.

Step 17

Then top the rice with barberries, raisins, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and orange peel in any pattern you like.

Notes

The dish looks beautiful with the decoration of the ingredients, especially when you have guests. Families often prefer to mix the ingredients directly with the rice, as then everything is eaten together and every guest gets a little of each ingredient. It is up to each individual to decide what they prefer.

The rice crust is served separately and is considered a highlight on the table!

Here is a Choice of Iranian Dishes!