Lubia Polo (green bean rice)

Lubia polo is an Iranian dish of rice, green beans, and lamb. It is made by onion and meat, green beans and spices. Lubia polo can also be made by using chicken or beef instead of lamb.

Ingredients:

4 Cups rice

400g. minced meat

250g. green beans

2 medium onions (chopped)

1 tbsp. tomato paste

5 medium tomatoes (grated)

Salt, red pepper and turmeric as much as required

1/8 tsp. Ground saffron       

 1 tbsp. Pilaf spice

1/2 tsp. Meat spice

1/2 cup. Sour grape juice     .

Boiling water as much as required

Oil as much as required

Potato (for tahdig)

Persian lunch

Serves    5 people

Prep time   20 m

Cook time   3 h

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, wash the rice several times with lukewarm water and soak it for 2 hours with 3 teaspoon of salt.

  2. Dissolve ground saffron in a piece of ice and set aside.

  1. Wash the green beans and remove the ends of them. Chop the green beans to small pieces.

  2. Grate one of onions and squeeze all the juice out. Mix minced meat, onion, salt, pepper, turmeric and meat spice. Take a small amount of the mixture. Shape it into meatball.

  1. Heat oil in a pan. Fry meatballs.

  2. Chop the onion and Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add green beans, turmeric, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, boiling water, grated tomato, sour grape juice and meatballs. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer until beans and meatballs are tender.

  3. Add water to a large pot until half of its depth and bring it to a boil. Drain the rice (but don’t rinse) and add to boiling water. Simmer the rice for 10 minutes (it depends on your rice). As soon as there is no more hardness in the center of the rice (don’t let it get completely soft), drain rice in colander.

  4. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the liquid saffron.  Add slices of potato for the bottom.

9.      Pour the 1/3 of cooked rice. Cover the rice layer with beans and meatballs mixture. Add liquid saffron and Pilaf spices. Then repeat this procedure. Shape it like a pyramid with a spoon. With the handle of a spoon poke a few holes in the rice, to allow the steam to escape. Cover the pot. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Let cook for 10 to 12 minutes until rice begins to steam. When it steams, lower the heat and let it steam for 30-40 minutes.