Adas Polo Recipes

Steps:

• Place the rice in a bowl, and cover with water. Soak the rice for about 3 hours, and drain off the water. Bring the rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain the liquid from the rice, and set the rice aside.
• Bring 2 more cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan, and stir in the lentils. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry the onions, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set the onions aside. Dissolve the saffron in 1/3 cup of hot water, and set aside.
• In a large nonstick pot with deep sides, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering, and spoon in half the rice to cover the bottom of the pot. Top the rice with the lentils, and cover the lentils with the remaining rice. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is completely tender and there is a golden brown, crusty layer of rice on the bottom of the pot, about 20 minutes. Pour the saffron water over the rice and lentils, cover, and allow to cook until absorbed, about 10 more minutes.
• To serve, spoon the polow into a serving dish, and peel off and place pieces of the crusty rice layer on top of the polow. Decorate the polow with dates, raisins, and fried onions.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and simmer lentils on low for 20 - 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain water from lentils and set aside.
• In a pan, saute the onions and garlic in oil. Add raisins, dates, and spices, except saffron. Mix well and set aside.
• Cook rice as you would like. For a sure-fire way, I use my rice cooker. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add to rice cooker and cover with 2 cups water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a drizzle of oil. Cook. Once rice is done, transfer cooked rice to a large bowl.
• In the same pot (or your rice cooker), add oil to just cover the bottom surface. Add potato slices.
• Add a layer of rice.
• Add a layer of lentil-raisin mixture.
• Continue layering, ending with a final layer of rice.
• Cover and cook (on medium heat in a pot or just hit "cook" button on your rice cooker) for 10 minutes.
• Drizzle melted butter and saffron water over your rice.
• Cover the top of your pot or rice cooker with a tea towel to prevent steam from escaping, and top with lid.
• Cook on low for 30 minutes. You want to make the potatoes crispy, so they must cook slowly. In the rice cooker, I continuously hit the cook button so this process (called tadig) can happen. It's totally worth it!
• Serve.

Steps:

• Soak lentils in 2 cups water for 2 hours. Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for 1/2 hour or until soft. Most of the water should be evaporated or absorbed. Set aside.
• Soak the rice in lightly salted water for 1/2 hour. Pour off nearly all the water. Put the rice in a pan with 3 cups boiling water. Cook the rice over moderate heat for 10 minutes (partly cooked).
• Drain and rinse rice under cold water. Drain and set aside.
• Put 2 tablespoons oil in a pan large enough to hold potato slices in a single layer.
• Add the broth, turmeric and coriander seeds and shake pan briskly to mix. Arrange the potato slices to fit the bottom of the pan.
• Mix the lentils and rice together and spread the mixture over the potato slices, but shape it into a pyramid.
• Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the rice. Cover the pan with paper towels, and place lid on top.
• Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes more to develop a crisp crust.
• Serve warm.
• Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.
• Variation: Omit coriander seeds and add 2/3 cup raisins to the lentil/rice mixture.