Sabzi Polo ba Mahi

Sabzi Polo ba Mahi (Herbed Rice with Fried Fish)

The classic Iranian New Year dish: a mound of saffron- and herb-flecked basmati rice served alongside crisp, turmeric-dusted fried fish. The herbs are the soul of the dish — parsley, dill, cilantro, and fenugreek fried briefly with garlic before being steamed into the rice.

Prep

35 min

Cook

60 min

Total

95 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) basmati rice, Indian or Iranian aged basmati preferred
• •60 g (2 cups loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed
• •40 g (1¼ cups loosely packed) fresh dill, tender stems ok
• •40 g (1½ cups loosely packed) fresh cilantro, stems removed
• •20 g (¾ cup loosely packed) fresh fenugreek leaves, or 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (shanbalileh)
• •4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• •1 tsp ground turmeric
• •1 pinch saffron threads, bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying herbs
• •60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted, for the tahdig
• •2 tsp salt, plus more for parboiling
• •4 fillets white fish fillet, about 600 g / 1 lb 5 oz; trout, branzino, or halibut — traditionally keta or mahi sefid in Iran
• •1 tsp ground turmeric, for fish rub
• •1 tsp salt, for fish
• •30 g (2 tbsp) rice flour or all-purpose flour, for dusting fish; optional but traditional for a crisp crust
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) vegetable oil, for shallow-frying fish

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the basmati in cool water until the water runs almost clear, then soak in lukewarm salted water for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). Drain.
2. 2 Finely chop the parsley, dill, cilantro, and fenugreek together — Iranian cooks chop these quite fine by hand, not in a processor, to keep the herbs from bruising black.
3. 3 Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2 tsp salt. Add the drained rice and boil 5–7 minutes, until the grains are just tender outside but still have a firm white core. Drain and rinse with warm water.
4. 4 Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook 20 seconds, then add the turmeric and stir. Add all the chopped herbs and sauté 2–3 minutes until wilted and fragrant but still bright green. Set aside.
5. 5 In a heavy non-stick pot, melt the butter and drizzle it over the bottom to coat evenly (this will form the tahdig, the golden crust). Optional: arrange a thin layer of plain rice on the bottom for a more pronounced crust.
6. 6 Layer the rice and herbed greens alternately in the pot: a spoonful of rice, a spoonful of herbs, repeat, ending with rice on top. Mix gently with the handle of a wooden spoon so herbs are distributed but grains stay intact.
7. 7 Pour 60 ml (¼ cup) water over the rice. Make 4–5 holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon so steam can escape. Drizzle 2 tbsp melted butter over the top.
8. 8 Cover with a clean tea towel placed under the lid (this absorbs steam and keeps the rice fluffy). Cook on high for 2 minutes to bring up the steam, then reduce to the lowest possible heat and steam 35–40 minutes.
9. 9 While the rice steams, prepare the fish: pat fillets dry, rub all over with salt, turmeric, and a squeeze of lemon if desired. Let sit 15 minutes. Lightly dust with rice flour.
10. 10 Heat the frying oil in a skillet to about 175 °C / 350 °F. Fry fillets 3–4 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until deeply golden and crisp. Fish is safe when the internal temperature reaches 63 °C / 145 °F and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
11. 11 To serve, gently fluff the rice from the pot (leaving the tahdig crust at the bottom to crack up and serve alongside), and spoon onto a platter. Drizzle the bloomed saffron water over portions of the rice to give the traditional yellow streaks. Serve with the fried fish, extra lemon wedges, and pickled garlic (sir-e torshi) if available.