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 ☺️

The post Sabzi polo mahi – rice with herbs and fish recipe appeared first on Foodcraftz.

In many Iranian restaurants, it is served as an appetizer. Kuku is like Italian frittata, the only difference is, it has fewer eggs.

Ingredients | 3-4 servings

• 300g/10oz chopped Coriander
• 300g/10oz chopped Leek or Chives
• 200g/7oz chopped Dill
• 200g/7oz chopped Parsley
• 4-5 Eggs
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 tsp Salt
• Black Pepper to taste
• Ghee or oil
• Optional: 2 tbsp Zereshk

Preparation

– Chop all herbs.

– In a big bowl add herbs, grated garlic, turmeric, salt, black pepper, eggs.

Optional: you can add zereshk (barberries) at this point.

– Pour a generous amount of oil or clarified butter into the pan and set the stove on medium heat.

– Add the mix to the pan & make it flat with a spatula.

– Cover the pan with lid, and ⏳wait 10 minutes until the eggs starts to cook and kuku becomes solid.

– Remove the lid and wait Kuku sabzi, becomes slightly dry divide into 4 pieces and overturn each piece carefully.

– Pour more oil, so the other part fries and cooks as well. This will take other ⏳8-10 more minutes.

The Kuku of herbs is ready.

Notes

• This can be a low carb dish if you serve it with other veggies or salad.
• It is ideal for sandwiches with pickles.
• Many likes to have Kuku sabzi with lemon on top or plain yogurt, traditionally it’s served with bread or white rice.

Noosh-e-jan ☺️

The post Kuku sabzi Persian frittata of herbs appeared first on Foodcraftz.