Reshteh Polo (rice and noodle) is one of the local and old Persian dishes. Reshteh Polo is prepared in different forms, with chicken, minced meat, or without any of them.
In preparing this dish, noodles and rice are combined and brewed together. Join us with the delicious Reshteh Polo Recipe.
Ingredients for Reshteh Polo Recipe
Rice with noodles, raisins and dates is delicious food that vegetarians can also enjoy. You need rice, noodles, turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, and oil to prepare delicious Reshteh Polo. This dish is usually decorated with raisins and dates.
Ingredients for four people
- 2 cups of rice
- 100 grams of noodles
- Oil, turmeric, and salt as needed
- Peel a large onion and grate it
- ½ a cup of raisins which is already soaked
- 10 dates without kernels and cut in half
- ½ teaspoon of brewed saffron
- A loaf of Lavash, Sangak, or Taftoon bread
- ½ a teaspoon of cinnamon
Directions of Reshteh Polo Recipe
Here is the step-by-step guide on reshteh polo recipe if you do not know how to make reshte polo:
Step One
Wash the rice, soak it in some water, and add a tablespoon of salt. Put it aside for two hours.
Step Two
Fill half a medium saucepan with water and boil over medium heat. Then pour a tablespoon of salt into the pot. Drain the rice water and pour the rice into the pot. At this stage, the water boils. Do not lower the flame and allow the water to boil.
Step Three
In the last five minutes of cooking the rice, divide the noodles into three parts by hand and pour them into the pot before rinsing. Stir the rice and noodles so that they do not stick together. After five minutes, press a grain of rice between two fingers, and if the area around it is soft and the kernel is a little firm, drain the rice and noodles. Taste a grain of rice and if you feel it is salty, pour a little water on the rice in the strainer to balance the salt.
Step Four
Place the pot on a medium flame and add three to four tablespoons of liquid or olive oil. Use Lavash, Sangak, or Taftoon bread to prepare. Cut the bread to the size of the bottom of the pot and place it in there. Pour the rice and noodles into the lidded pot and let the Reshteh Polo simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Use a steamer to better brew the rice.
Step Five
In the last 15 minutes of brewing rice, mix the brewed saffron with oil or butter and pour it on the noodles and rice.
Step Six
While the rice is brewing, pour some oil into the pan and put it on medium heat. Then fry the chopped onions in oil until they become golden. Then add turmeric and cinnamon to the onions and fry the ingredients together a little to smell the spices. Drain the soaked raisins and set them aside to dry. Then add the raisins and seedless dates to the onions in the pan and fry them until soft. Now, remove the pan from the heat.
What is Reshte?
Noodles made from wheat, known as reshteh. There are two varieties, as seen in the image below: the basic, dry kind is typically used to create soup or ash. And the ones that were fried (top of the picture) were utilized in today’s reshteh polo.
The term also means string in Farsi. The road of life, in all its forms, is symbolized by the noodles or threads. Therefore, eating reshteh on Norooz is a means to take charge of your life and the year ahead.
Is There Any Substitute for Reshteh in Reshteh Polo?
You may use egg-free wheat noodles of any kind, including Chinese or thin spaghetti. barely gently cook them for about three minutes in a small amount of butter and olive oil before using them in this dish, to barely brown and impart a nutty flavor.
Since we are toasting them rather than frying them, you don’t need much oil. Thus, on low heat, one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and one tablespoon of salted butter will do.
How to Serve Reshteh Polo?
Put the Persian noodle rice with raisins in a dish and decorate it with saffron and a mixture of raisins and dates.
A plate of fresh vegetables consisting of lettuce, wheat germ, tomatoes, carrots, and broccoli with fresh lemon juice is the best option for serving with Reshteh polo.
Tip: Many people like to serve this dish with chicken or minced meat. So, if you like minced meat or chicken beside your dish, it will be a great combination.
Essential Points for Preparing Reshteh Polo
- Be careful not to boil the noodles too much.
- Note that the noodles are usually a little salty. Therefore, you should be careful about the amount of salt you add to your food so that your food does not become salty.
- You can also use sliced potatoes for cooking.
- The main spice for cooking noodles is “turmeric.” It is interesting to note that turmeric was the only spice added to rice and noodles in the past. To have a traditional Reshteh Polo, heat a little butter and add turmeric when serving. Then pour it on the noodles.
It might be interesting for you to know that Reshteh Polo, Morasa Polo, Adas Polo, and Lubia Polo are usually prepared and served in Iranian homes for Nowruz and Yalda night.
Do not forget to make this Reshteh polo recipe and share it with us. If you also have any related questions about Reshteh Polo Recipe, please do not hesitate to ask.
FAQs on Reshteh Polo Recipe
what is reshteh in English?
Reshteh, which means thread or string in Persian, is an extremely tiny noodle that resembles angel hair pasta, or capellini. Still, it usually refers to a ribbon-shaped egg noodle that is fresh, as opposed to dried.
What is the origin of reshteh polo?
A rich and aromatic Persian rice and noodle dish is called reshteh polo. It is among the customary foods offered at Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. With chicken, caramelized onions, dates, and raisins, it’s the ideal balance of sweet and savory.
How should the noodles for Reshteh Polo be made?
Slice the reshteh into smaller pieces and toast them gently in a tiny amount of butter or oil until they turn golden brown. This makes them taste even better and keeps them from getting mushy when combined with the rice.
Reshteh Polo Recipe; Persian Noodle Rice
Course: Main coursesCuisine: Persian foodDifficulty: Medium5
servings20
minutes1
hour300
kcalReshteh Polo (rice and noodle) is one of the local and old Persian dishes. Reshteh Polo is prepared in different forms, with chicken, minced meat, or without any of them.
Ingredients
2 cups of rice
100 grams of noodles
Oil, turmeric, and salt as needed
Peel a large onion and grate it
½ a cup of raisins which is already soaked
10 dates without kernels and cut in half
½ teaspoon of brewed saffron
A loaf of Lavash, Sangak, or Taftoon bread
½ a teaspoon of cinnamon
Directions
- Wash the rice, soak it in some water, and add a tablespoon of salt. Put it aside for two hours.
- Fill half a medium saucepan with water and boil over medium heat. Then pour a tablespoon of salt into the pot. Drain the rice water and pour the rice into the pot. At this stage, the water boils. Do not lower the flame and allow the water to boil.
- In the last five minutes of cooking the rice, divide the noodles into three parts by hand and pour them into the pot before rinsing. Stir the rice and noodles so that they do not stick together. After five minutes, press a grain of rice between two fingers, and if the area around it is soft and the kernel is a little firm, drain the rice and noodles. Taste a grain of rice and if you feel it is salty, pour a little water on the rice in the strainer to balance the salt.
- Place the pot on a medium flame and add three to four tablespoons of liquid or olive oil. Use Lavash, Sangak, or Taftoon bread to prepare. Cut the bread to the size of the bottom of the pot and place it in there. Pour the rice and noodles into the lidded pot and let the Reshteh Polo simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Use a steamer to better brew the rice.
- In the last 15 minutes of brewing rice, mix the brewed saffron with oil or butter and pour it on the noodles and rice.
- While the rice is brewing, pour some oil into the pan and put it on medium heat. Then fry the chopped onions in oil until they become golden. Then add turmeric and cinnamon to the onions and fry the ingredients together a little to smell the spices. Drain the soaked raisins and set them aside to dry. Then add the raisins and seedless dates to the onions in the pan and fry them until soft. Now, remove the pan from the heat.