Adas Polo Recipe

Adas Polo (Persian Lentil Rice) is one of the traditional and popular Iranian dishes which, in addition to having a good taste, has a high nutritional value due to having lentils. Packed with plant-based protein, and topped with sauteed barberries, raisins, and dates this dish is hearty and comforting!

About This Recipe

Adas polo is a mixed rice dish. A dish consisting of rice, beef, or chicken, barberries, raisins, and dates. Persian lentil rice has a special place in traditional Persian cuisine. It is rich in protein and is served with various delicious side dishes.

Why You Will Love This Recipe?

• Easy to Make. Adas polo has a simple cooking method and comes together in less than 1 hour.
• Loaded with nutritious ingredients. Lentil is the main ingredient of this traditional dish. Lentil is a great source of protein, dietary fiber, iron, and potassium.
• Can be turned into vegan food: Adas polo is usually served with sauteed minced beef or chicken, but the good news is that you can cook Adas Polo without meat and turn it into a delicious vegan dish. Adas polo is a delicious combination of rice layered with lentils topped with raisins, minced beef, and sauteed onions. However, some people prepare the topping without adding meat and serve it as vegan food. (You can add dates and raisins in the vegan version).

Adas Polo Ingredients

• Rice: To make Persian dishes, It is better to use high-quality Iranian rice or long-grain basmati rice.
• Lentils: You should use brown lentils for this recipe.
• Ground beef: The ground beef is sauteed with a little onion and spices until it is completely golden brown.
• Yellow onion: We need onions both for topping and for cooking minced beef.
• Advieh: The spice needed to make Adas Polo is a combination of black pepper, cinnamon, salt, and turmeric. It is not necessary to add cinnamon and you can ignore it.
• Barberries, raisins, and dates: As a topping, raisins, barberries, and dates are usually sauteed with some oil. Of course, adding dates is optional and you can use a combination of barberries and raisins for topping.
• Bloomed saffron: When rice is cooked you can mix a few tablespoons of rice with bloomed saffron and use it as the topping.

How to Make Adas Polo

• Rinse lentils with cold water to remove any dust or debris. Rinse the raisins and barberries and pat dry on kitchen paper.
• Rinse rice until the water is clear. Soak rice in a large bowl of water. Add 1 tablespoon salt and stir to dissolve. Let it sit for 2 hours.
• Place lentils in a pot. In a pot Add water to lentils to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Drain the lentils and set aside. Do not overcook lentils or they will be mushy. Be sure to use a large enough pot as the lentils will double or triple in size.
• In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add chopped onion into the saucepan and fry for a couple of minutes until soft and golden. Add the ground beef, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and bloomed saffron and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Cook until browned and cooked through.
• Add a little oil to the pan and saute raisins and barberries until they swell up. Set them aside.
• Drain the soaked rice. Add fresh water into a pot. For every cup of rice add two cups of water. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add drained rice to the pot of boiling water and give a quick stir. The rice is done after 8-10 minutes when it begins to rise to the top and the water comes back to a boil. Check the rice is cooked by trying a grain.
• Break one grain in half. Rice should be soft on the outside but slightly hard in the middle. Pour rice into the colander to drain; then set aside. In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil or butter. Arrange potato slices or Lavash naan.
• Scoop one-third of the rice into the pot. Layer with one-third of the cooked lentils. Repeat until you’re out of rice and lentils and shape it into a pyramid. Add 2 tablespoons of the bloomed saffron. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and a lid. Cook until rice begins to steam and a crust forms for about 40-60 minutes.
• Transfer the rice to a serving dish. Serve with ground beef mixture, sauteed raisins, and barberries.

Variations

• Serve lentils and rice with sweet or salty scrambled eggs or Khagineh.
• You can serve lentils and rice with fried dates or raisins.
• Serve lentils and rice without additives as a delicious vegan dish.
• Some people like to make this recipe with chicken instead of minced beef. To serve Adas Polo with chicken, sauté some onion in a little oil in a pot until the onions are tender. Place chicken breasts in the pot and add salt, turmeric, and pepper. Add 2-3 cups water and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 45 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Serve with lentil rice and raisins.

Crunchy Crust (Tahdig)

If you are a huge fan of crunchy crust, pour some oil at the bottom of the pot. Then Sprinkle the desired amount of sesame on it and then cover it with lavash bread. Then add layered rice and lentils.

FAQs

What Is Adas Polo Made Of?

Adas Polo is a rice dish full of flavor, and aroma, cooked with lentils. Persian lentil rice is usually served with perfectly cooked ground beef, sauteed raisins, and barberries.

What to Serve with Adas Polo?

You can serve Adas Polo with a bowl of salad Shirazi, I also love to serve this dish with a bowl of plain yogurt mixed with mint.

Did you like the Adas Polo recipe? Try my Baghali Polo Ba Mahiche recipe as well! Leave your comment below and If you make this recipe, be sure to tag your photos #yummynotes 

Looking for More Persian Recipes?

• Kookoo Sabzi Recipe
• Khoresht Karafs Recipe
• Tahchin Recipe 
• Albaloo Polo Recipe
• Estamboli Polo Recipe

Adas Polo Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 75 Minutes 75 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.9/5

( 18 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 200 grams ground beef
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 pinches good quality saffron threads
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup Medjool dates pitted (optional)
• For the rice
• 2 cups basmati rice washed and drained
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

Step 1

Rinse lentils with cold water to remove any dust or debris. Rinse the raisins and barberries and pat dry on kitchen paper.

Step 2

Rinse rice until the water is clear. Soak rice in a large bowl of water. Add 1 tablespoon salt and stir to dissolve. Let it sit for 2 hours.

Step 3

Place lentils in a pot. In a pot Add water to lentils to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Drain the lentils and set aside. Do not overcook lentils or they will be mushy. Be sure to use a large enough pot as the lentils will double or triple in size.

Step 4

In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add chopped onion into the saucepan and fry for a couple of minutes until soft and golden. Add the ground beef, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and bloomed saffron and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Cook until browned and cooked through.

Step 5

Add a little oil to the pan and saute raisins and barberries until they swell up. Set them aside.

Step 6

Drain the soaked rice. Add fresh water into a pot. For every cup of rice add two cups of water. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add drained rice to the pot of boiling water and give a quick stir. The rice is done after 8-10 minutes when it begins to rise to the top and the water comes back to a boil. Check the rice is cooked by trying a grain.

Step 7

Break one grain in half. Rice should be soft on the outside but slightly hard in the middle. Pour rice into the colander to drain; then set aside. In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil or butter. Arrange potato slices or Lavash naan.

Step 8

Scoop one-third of the rice into the pot. Layer with one-third of the cooked lentils. Repeat until you're out of rice and lentils and shape it into a pyramid. Add 2 tablespoons of the bloomed saffron. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and a lid. Cook until rice begins to steam and a crust forms for about 40-60 minutes.

Step 9

Transfer the rice to a serving dish. Serve with ground beef mixture, sauteed raisins, and barberries.