Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi | Herb Rice with Fish

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi is a highly-important and popular dish among the Iranian. The importance of this dish comes from Nowruz (the beginning of the New Year) Eve and Yalda Night. It also is served as the main dish in all these ceremonies. The other famous dish made in Nowruz is Reshteh Polo.

Sabzi polo ba Mahi Recipe

PersianGood Team

Sabzi polo Mahi is an unforgettable taste for all the Iranians. If you are Iranian you must have experienced serving and eating this dish for special occasions with your family.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine persian

Servings 4 poeple

Calories 171 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups rice
• 2 kg Caspian Kutum (or any other type of fish)
• 1 kg chives, parsley, coriander, dill and garlic leaves
• 200 g butter
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons brewed saffron
• Salt and pepper, as much as required

Instructions

 

• Some hours before you want to cook this dish, leave the rice in some water so that it will absorb some of it. Add some salt to the water.
• Clean and wash the vegetables (chives, parsley, coriander, dill and garlic leaves). Let the water dry.
• Wash the rice so that the extra salt will go away. Add some water to a pot and leave it on the flame of the gas burner to boil. When it started boiling, add the rice. Before it is completely cooked, put out the flame and separate the rice form water using a sieve.
• Heat a different pot and add 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons butter and the brewed saffron. If you are a fan of Tah-Dig (scorched bread) cover the bottom of the pot with some bread (Lavash Bread is the best option).
• Add a layer of rice and on top of that, add a layer of the vegetables. Continue this until you run out of ingredients. On top of the rice, add some water and oil (or melted butter).
• Cover the lid with a piece of cloth as an infuser and the lid of the pot.It takes around 30 minutes for the rice to cook. Use this time to fry the fish.

Preparing the fish

• Wash the fish fillet and chop the onions. Put the onions, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a dish and put the pieces of fish in this sauce for 5 minutes.
• Use some oil to fry the fish in a pot. When one side of it is cooked, turn it around so that the other side will cook as well.

  The dish is completely ready to be served. Enjoy.

Keyword Sabzi polo ba Mahi

 Tips to have a better sabzi polo ba mahi!

• Before you rinse the rice, notice the core must be hard and the outside flesh should be soft.
• When you are boiling the rice, you should not put the lid on it. Let the extra water vaporizes fast.
• Remember to stir the rice while boiling to have the seeds separated from each other.
• The herbs must not be sliced too small, but they indeed must be dry when you use them.
• Remember that you need to fry the vegetables a little bit before you add them to the rice.
• If you cannot use fresh herbs, you can use some dried dill instead. It will work just fine.
• You can marinate the fish with any additives and spices you desire for some short time.
• When you fry the fish, remember to let the extra oil comes out. You can use a napkin instead.

Removing the unpleasant smell of the fish!

Starch, salt and turmeric

One of the easiest ways of removing the bad smell of fish is to marinate the fish in combination of starch, salt and turmeric. This will quickly wipes it away. You need to let the fish rest in it for about 1 hour, then wash the powders away.

Milk

If you let the fish drown in milk, the bad smell will go away. It is easy, fast and effective.

Vinegar

Let the fish rest in vinegar for 5 minutes and you will be surprised with the result you see.

Variations of Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi is a classic Persian dish that is enjoyed by many around the world. While the basic recipe for this dish consists of rice, herbs, and fish, there are many variations that can be added to enhance the flavor and texture of the dish.

• One popular variation is to use different types of fish. Some common types of fish used in Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi include salmon, cod, and tilapia. Each type of fish has its own unique flavor and texture, which can significantly impact the overall taste of the dish. For example, salmon is a rich and flavorful fish that pairs well with the herbs and spices in Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi, while tilapia is a milder fish that can take on the flavors of the herbs and spices.
• Another way to vary the dish is by adding different herbs and spices to the rice. For example, some recipes call for saffron, which adds a warm and earthy flavor to the rice, while others use turmeric, which gives the rice a bright yellow color and a slightly bitter taste. Other popular herbs and spices used in Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi include cumin, coriander, and garlic.

Overall, there are many variations of Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi that can be added to the basic recipe to create a unique and flavorful dish. Whether you prefer a spicy or mild flavor, or a rich or light texture, there is a variation of this classic Persian dish that is sure to suit your taste buds

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