Reshteh Polo (Persian Rice and Noodles Traditional Dish)

This is one of the traditional dishes that usually is served at New Year's Eve or New Year's Day (Nowruz) in Iran. It is pretty popular throughout the year too.

Some like it with sauteed raisins and dates and some serve it with shredded pistachio and almonds.

It also can be served with cooked chicken or small meatballs.

For the meatballs you just need grated onion, ground beef, salt & pepper. I'll explain more in another post.

This time I made it with cooked chicken.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups rice, rinsed
-100 grams of reshteh (toasted noodles), Reshteh may be found in Persian/Iranian grocery stores.
- Butter or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon saffron powder dissolved in 5 tablespoons of hot water
-Salt & pepper
-Water

- raisins (optional)
- I used 2 chicken legs and 2 chicken breasts

- 1 onion

- Turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon saffron

Peel the onion and cut in half. Place the chicken legs and chicken breast in a medium sauce pan add onion, salt and pepper, turmeric. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook until tender. Add saffron and 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. After the chickens cooked and cooled slightly cut them in small cubes.

Place a large pan over low heat add oil and noodles and saute the noodles for a few minutes add 1/2 cup water , some chicken stock and 1 tablespoon of saffron water. The noodles should be somewhat soft yet a little firm. Now add cubed chickens.

 

Wash the rice with warm water a few times. Soak in 4 cups of water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and set aside for an hour.

In a large non-stick pot bring 5 cups of water to a rapid boil on high heat. 

Drain the soaked rice and gently pour into the pot. Bring the water back to a boil on high heat, add the rice

and boil for about 8 minutes. Rice should be firm in the center and soft on the outside. . Then drain the rice in a colander.

Return the pot to heat, add 3 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons of liquid saffron and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 2 tablespoons of water. Place a round pita bread on the bottom of the pot. With a large spatula place one layer of large over the pita bread then one layer noodles and chickens. Pour 1 teaspoon saffron water over each layer and try to mix the rice carefully to absorb the saffron and turn yellow.

Cover the pot and place on medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes then lower the heat on low and cook for 45 to 50 minutes.

Lightly saute the raisins in oil or butter and set aside.

Serve on a platter and garnish with raisins or pistachio slices.

This is Tah-Dig the crunchy and crispy bottom layer of pot that we made with pita bread. Tah-Dig is usually the first thing that disappears in a lunch or dinner table! So tasty and popular!