Shirin Polo Persian Sweet Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Wash rice in lukewarm water until water runs clear.
• Then soak in cold water to cover for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours. Drain, rinse, and drain again.
• In a large heavy saucepan, bring 8 cups water to boil over medium heat. Add salt.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse and then drain again.
• To make the filling, fill a small sauce pan with cold water.
• Add orange zest and bring to a boil. Drain and then repeat.
• In a medium sauce pan, combine the zest, water, sugar and turmeric and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer until syrupy, about 20 minutes.
• Let cool and then stir in nuts.
• In a large heavy saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat.
• Stir in the turmeric, the 2 tablespoons of water.
• Spread 1/3 of rice in the sauce pan.
• Scatter half of the zest filling over top, cover with half the remaining rice, then remaining filling, then mound remaining rice over top.
• Using wooden spoon handle, poke 7 deep holes in the rice.
• Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
• Place a kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels over top of pan.
• Cover with lid and cook over medium heat until steam appears, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is tender and bottom is crisp, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• For candied orange peel:.
• Coarsely grate orange peels and put in a small saucepan.
• Cover with 1 liter water and bring to a boil, then drain and repeat this process (to reduce the bitterness).
• Cover peels with the sugar and add 1 L water.
• Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring.
• After 15 minutes, taste it. It should be very sweet syrup. If it's not, add sugar. If it's too thick, add some water.
• Simmer until rind looks translucent around the edges and is swimming in sugary syrup.
• For roasted chicken:.
• Put whole chicken into an oven roasting dish and drown in the orange concentrate and pats of margarine.
• Cover and roast in 375°F oven until cooked (approx 1 1/2 hours).
• When it is done, let it cool slightly in the covered pot until you can safely peel off the skin and cut into bit-sized pieces.
• Drown the pieces in the chicken's sauce until it is time to serve.
• For carrot mixture:.
• Heat 50g margarine and oil in frying pan and sauté the carrots for 5 minutes.
• Add the cinnamon, then add any of the optional dried fruits or nuts and cover and simmer a few minutes longer, until everything has softened.
• Add the candied orange peel with its syrup.
• For rice:.
• Rinse rice until no longer starchy (water should be clear, not milky).
• Boil rice with 4 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt, then simmer for 7 minutes. Do not remove the lid, rather leave the rice to cook in the steam for 1/2 hour.
• Putting it all together:.
• Drain carrot-orange mixture, keeping syrup to be drizzled on according to taste.
• Add the carrots and chicken pieces to the rice and serve.