Sabzi Polo Mahi (means: herbs, rice, fish) is a typical dish of Nowruz (Iranian new year Eve). Except for the preparation of the herbs, it’s an easy recipe.
Fish: Traditionally the white meat fishes are used for this recipe like the Caspian sea fishes: Mullet (کفال), Whitefish (ماهی سفید), Trout (قزلآلا), but almost any kind of fish (salmon, mackerel, sea bass, …) taste great with Sabzi polo.
In this recipe I used Common Dentex (Dentice in Italian) because that was the freshest fish I could find in the fish market.
Ingredients | 4-5 servings
- 1 Fish fillet per person
- 500g/17.6oz Basmati rice
- 1 clove of Garlic
- 2 knobs of Butter
- 60g/2.1oz chopped Dill
- 60g/2.1oz Coriander
- 60g/2.1oz chopped Parsley
- 100g/3.5oz chopped Chives or Leek
- Saffron
- Pickled Garlic as accompaniment (optional)
Preparation
– Herbs: combine all the chopped herbs together (dill, coriander, parsley, chives).
– Grate a clove of garlic and mix.
– Wash the rice till it’s the color of water is longer opaque.
– Add the rice to salty & boiling water (just like pasta).
– When it boils and the rice doubles in size and float on the surface, it’s ready.
– Drain the rice (don’t rinse to maintain the salt and aroma of rice).
– Add the mix of chopped herbs and mix all together gently.
– In a small glass pour hot boiling water.
– Add a pinch of ground saffron and a knob of butter and mix till butter melts completely and saffron gives its color to the mix.
Combine all together
– On medium-high heat, place a non-stick pot.
– Add the mix of saffron & butter (for a good saffron tahdig).
– Followed by mix of rice & herbs.
– Put the lid on, wait a few minutes, until it starts to sweat.
– Set the heat to lowest. Cover the lid with a clean kitchen cloth = damkoni, (it absorbs the humidity and helps to have a better tahdig).
– Cook for ⏳ 1 hour.
Preparation of Fish
– Clean and debone the fish fillets.
– Make some cuts on the skin, sprinkle salt and pepper.
– Place the fish on the hot pan with clarified butter/oil.
– First from the meat side when it becomes golden turn over to the other side until it gains the same color and preferably the skin gets crunchy.
– When the skin becomes crunchy it’s ready to serve.
Serving
– Overturn the pot of rice on a big flat plate (finger’s crossed you’ll have good Tahdig!).
– Decorate the sabzi polo with a bit of saffron rice.
– Bring fish and rice to the serving table in two separate plates so each diner can take the amount she/he wants to eat.
Notes
- Some cook the fish in the oven with herbs, garlic and lemon. In this case the skin of the fish doesn’t become crunchy and usually is removed.
- The best accompaniment for sabzi polo mahi is: pickled garlic, which is a typical delicacy of north Iran
Noosh-e-Jan & happy Nowrooz ☺️
Please note that If you don’t like to have a dark tahdig like the one in this recipe, just don’t mix all the rice with herbs, add a layer of white rice first then add the rice & herbs mixture on top. 😉
Soooo delicious 🙂
thanks!
That’s great thanks for feedback 😀