Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi Recipe (Persian Herb Rice with Fish)

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi is a delicious and flavorful Persian dish with rice and chopped herbs, usually served with fish. Along with Ash Reshteh, Reshteh polo, and Kookoo Sabzi, Persian herb rice is a staple of the Nowruz dinner table.

About This Recipe

A fluffy rice dish cooked with chopped herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro, chives, fenugreek, and fresh garlic) paired with crispy pan-fried fish and served with pickled garlic (Torshi Sir). Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi is one of the traditional Iranian dishes for the Nowruz celebration.

Sabzi Polo Ingredients

• Rice: To make Persian dishes, It is better to use high-quality Iranian rice or long-grain basmati rice.
• Herbs: It is better to use fresh herbs to make Sabzi Polo. However preparing the herb mix for Sabzi Polo is a bit difficult and time-consuming(fresh herbs must be cleaned, washed, and chopped). For this reason, Iranians usually prepare the herbs needed for Sabzi Polo in advance and keep them frozen. Sabzi Polo includes herbs: parsley, cilantro, chives, dill, and fresh garlic (if fresh garlic is available in season). You can add a little fenugreek to this mixture.
• Fish: Traditionally, pan-fried Caspian white fish was served alongside the Sabzi Polo, but you can use any type of fish you like. We usually use salmon fish to serve next to Persian herb rice, which is a perfect combination.
• Spice mix: The spices of this dish are not much different from other Iranian dishes, salt, turmeric, and black pepper are the spices that I use to cook fish and rice.
• 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 Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi?

• In a large strainer, rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Put the rinsed rice in a bowl and add 2 cups of cold water and a tablespoon of kosher salt. Let sit for at least 1 hour.
• Combine herbs, in the bowl of a food processor. Process, in batches, if necessary, until coarsely chopped.
• In a large non-stick pot, bring 5 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain the rice and pour it into boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring water back to a boil. cook until the grains are about halfway cooked (tender but with a firm spine), 3 to 5 minutes, skimming off any foam. Drain rice, and give it a quick rinse with cold water.
• Add the chopped herbs to the rice and stir.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the rice and herb mixture in the pot. Add butter to the top, lower the heat, cover the lid, and steam the rice for 45-50 minutes on low heat.
• Bring the salmon fillet up to room temperature. This will help to ensure an even cook.
• Warm the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the salmon fillet, skin side down. Season to taste and sprinkle in the fresh thyme and the lemon juice, if using.
• Cooking time will depend entirely on the thickness of the fillet, however, as a rough guide, a salmon fillet 5cm thick will need about 8 to 10 minutes skin side down, a few minutes on each side, and then finally a minute or so for the top to get a nice golden blush. The salmon is done when it is evenly pink throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
• Remove the fillet from the pan and allow it to rest on a warm plate for a few minutes before serving.
• When the rice is done, serve the rice on a platter and place the fish fillets beside it. Mix saffron water with some rice for garnish and decoration.

Sabzi Polo With Chicken

First, pour oil into a pan and put it on medium heat until it becomes hot. Then add the chopped onions into the pan and fry them until golden. Season chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Then fry them in hot oil until golden. Add 2-3 cups of boiling water and cover the pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam on the surface. Allow the chicken pieces to cook with gentle heat for about 1 to 1.5 hours. Add 2 teaspoons of bloomed saffron 10 minutes before you turn off the heat.

Expert Tips

• If you do not have fresh herbs available, you can use dried or frozen herbs, but the result will definitely be different.
• You can coat fish pieces with breadcrumbs before you fry them to add a crispy texture and extra flavor.
• You can also use some brewed saffron to marinate the fish.

What Is Sabzi Polo Made Of?

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi is a delicious and flavorful Persian dish with rice and chopped herbs, usually served with fish.

What to Serve with Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi?

You can serve Fesenjoon stew with a bowl of salad Shirazi, Sabzi Khordan(fresh herb platter), or Sir Torshi(Persian pickled garlic).

Did you like the Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi recipe? Try my Kookoo Sabzi 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?

• Khoresht Karafs Recipe
• Kashke Bademjan Recipe
• Adas Polo Recipe
• Mirza Ghasemi Recipe
• Tahchin Morgh Recipe

Sabzi Polo Recipe

Serves: 3 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 60 Minutes 60 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 17 voted )

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Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain rice (Basmati rice)
• 3 Pieces Salmon fish fillet or a fish of your choice
• ¼ cup chopped dill, fresh or dried
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• salt
• ½ Teaspoons ground saffron dissolved into 4 tablespoons hot water
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• vegetable oil

Instructions

Step 1

In a large strainer, rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Put the rinsed rice in a bowl and add 2 cups of cold water and a tablespoon of kosher salt. Let sit for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

Combine herbs, in the bowl of a food processor. Process, in batches, if necessary, until coarsely chopped.

Step 3

In a large non-stick pot, bring 5 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain the rice and pour it into boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring water back to a boil. cook until the grains are about halfway cooked (tender but with a firm spine), 3 to 5 minutes, skimming off any foam. Drain rice, and give it a quick rinse with cold water.

Step 4

Add the chopped herbs to the rice and stir.

Step 5

Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the rice and herb mixture in the pot. Add butter to the top, lower the heat, cover the lid, and steam the rice for 45-50 minutes on low heat.

Step 6

Bring the salmon fillet up to room temperature. This will help to ensure an even cook.

Step 7

Warm the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the salmon fillet, skin side down. Season to taste and sprinkle in the fresh thyme and the lemon juice, if using.

Step 8

Cooking time will depend entirely on the thickness of the fillet, however, as a rough guide, a salmon fillet 5cm thick will need about 8 to 10 minutes skin side down, a few minutes on each side, and then finally a minute or so for the top to get a nice golden blush. The salmon is done when it is evenly pink throughout and flakes easily with a fork.

Step 9

Remove the fillet from the pan and allow it to rest on a warm plate for a few minutes before serving.

Step 10

When the rice is done, serve the rice on a platter and place the fish fillets beside it. Mix saffron water with some rice for garnish and decoration.