Sabzi Polo (Herbed Rice with Tahdig)

Persian herb rice with leeks, dill and coriander over a yogurt-rice crust — the rice of the last evening of the Persian year, traditionally served with fish and kuku.

Untested: not yet made in this kitchen. It is here for the Rice section’s regional pages and is adapted from the source named in the Notes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 4 cups finely diced leeks, including the dark green parts (2 medium leeks or 1 very large)
• Fine sea salt or kosher salt (6 tablespoons fine sea salt or a generous ½ cup kosher for the boiling water)
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cup finely chopped dill leaves and tender stems (about 2 bunches)
• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 2 large bunches)
• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola

Directions

Key ingredients

Salt · Turmeric

1. Rinse the rice at least 5 times until the water is clear, then soak 30 minutes.
2. Boil 4 quarts water.
3. Leeks. Soften the leeks in 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet, 10–12 minutes.
4. Parboil. Salt the water very heavily (6 tablespoons fine sea salt, or a generous ½ cup kosher) and add the turmeric. Drain the rice, boil it 5–7 minutes until al dente, drain, rinse in cold water and drain well.
5. Mix the rice with the leeks, dill and cilantro. Stir 1 heaping cup of it into the yogurt.
6. Crust. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the oil in the clean skillet and spread the yogurt-rice in a thin, even layer.
7. Mound the rest of the rice on top and poke 6 holes to the bottom. Cook 8 minutes on medium-high, turning the pan halfway.
8. Steam. Cover with a towel-wrapped lid and cook 45 minutes on the lowest heat, turning the pan a quarter-turn every 10–12 minutes.
9. Serve. Pour off any excess fat and invert onto a platter.

Notes

Source Adapted from Samin Nosrat, “Sabzi Polo (Herbed Rice With Tahdig),” NYT Cooking (2017). The recipe says of the salt: “Don’t worry about oversalting.”

How it differs from tradition Here the herbs are mixed through the rice; in the traditional method described by Encyclopaedia Iranica they are layered. Leeks stand in for the spring onions and garlic greens many versions use.

Serving For sabzi polow mahi, serve with fried fish and the collection’s Persian Herb Frittata (Kuku Sabzi).

The Rice section’s Persia and Central Asia page (/rice/persia-and-central-asia/) covers the history and technique behind this dish.