Carrot Rice

Haveeg Polo

(By Mrs. Soheila Amiri)

(4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

4 cups (32 Oz.) of white long grain rice.

8 table spoons of cooking oil.

4-6 large carrots, peeled and grated (using the large teeth).

4 Oz. of water.

1 lb. of ground beef.

1 medium onion, chopped.

1/2 tea spoon of turmeric (zardchoobeh).

2 cups (16 Oz.) of tomato sauce.

A touch each of salt and pepper.

Directions:

For best results, soak the rice for a few hours in hot water and salt before cooking.

In a medium size pot, half-way filled with water, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice (and the water it was soaking in), and let it cook for a few minutes until it starts boiling. Occasionally pick a few rice grains with a spoon and chew on them to see if they have softened. When the rice is half-crunchy half-soft, take it out and drain it in a kitchen stringer. Run the tab water on it to wash out some of the excess salt.

In a medium size pot, over medium heat, pour 4 table spoons of oil, add the chopped onions and stir fry until they turn a golden brown color. Add the meat, turmeric and pepper and continue to stir fry until the meat is brown. Add the tomato sauce and salt and con- tinue to stir fry for a few more minutes. Add the grated carrots and stir fry for another 5-10 minutes. The meat sauce is done when it starts to thicken (most of the water evaporates).

Pour the remainder of the cooking oil in a separate medium size pot, add 4 Oz. of water, then loosely spread a thin layer of rice and a thin layer of meat sauce. Continue in this fashion until all the rice and meat sauce have been exhausted. With the back of a spoon, make five holes one in the center and four around it so that the rice can breath in the cooking process.

Spread a little water on top and close the lid. Let it cook for a couple of minutes on high heat. When the rice starts to steam, change the setting to medium heat and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Then turn the heat to medium-low, sprinkle some cooking oil to stop it from drying, and let it cook for about another 10 minutes.

HINTS:

If you have a choice, use any of the Basmati brands of long grain rice (i.e., AftAb, Pari, Feel-Neshan, etc.) you can buy from middle eastern or Indian stores. But be careful not to overboil these types. They get pretty sticky if you over cook them. If all else fails, use Mahatma brand (American from supermarket). They take longer to soften, and there is less chance of coming out sticky.

Often times on the onset of stir frying ground meat, large lumps are formed. During the course of stir frying the meat, with a back of a large spoon keep pressing on the lumps to separate them. Your meat sauce comes out with finer granularity this way.

You can optionally add a few table spoons of either carrot or orange jam (not jelly) to the meat sauce to add more flavor and sweetness to the dish.

Source: Persia.org

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