Title: Al Bolu Pollo > Persian Rice and Cherries
Categories: Mideast Rice Dessert Ground
Yield: 1 Servings

3	c	Basmati or
		Jasmine rice
3	c	Fresh or frozen pitted sour
		Cherries (Albalou)
1 1/2	c	Sugar
1	ts	Rosewater
1	pn	Saffron (za'faran)
		Meatballs:
1	lb	Ground lamb or beef
1		Grated onion
		Salt and pepper
		Oil for frying
		Half a cup of melted butter
		Garnish:
		Slivered almonds
		Pistachios

Salaam. This is how I make it:

For 3 cups of uncooked Basmati or Jasmine rice: Use 3 cups of fresh or frozen pitted sour cherries (Albalou)and cook them with 1.5 cups of sugar (no need to add water) for about half hour, 45 minutes, and drain the cherries and save the syrup. I usually add a spoon of rosewater and a little bit of Saffron (za'faran) for flavor.

Or buy 2 large cans of Sour Cherry in heavy syrup, drain the cherries, and save the syrup.

If you want to add meatballs (koofteh ghelgheli or sar gonjeshki as the kids used to call them! ), use 1 pound of ground lamb or beef, mix it well with one grated onion and salt and pepper, form the little meatballs and fry in a little oil, and set aside. You could pour some of the cherry syrup over them so that they don't dry.

After you boil your rice for 5 min, drain it, and are ready to put it back in the pot so that it "dam bekesheh," grease the bottom of the pot, pour a couple of spatulas (kafgir) of rice in the bottom for "tahdig", then alternate between a couple of spatulas of rice and a little bit of the cooked cherries and meatballs, and form a pyramid. You may save a little of the cherries for garnishing. Pour half a cup of melted butter over your rice, cover the pot, put it on high heat for 10 min, and then Let the rice "dam bekesheh" on low heat for an hour. When you're ready to serve the rice, heat the cherry syrup, pour the rice in the "dis" and pour a few spoons of hot cherry syrup over it, and then garnish with the cherries and saffron, and some people even add slivered almonds and pistachios. I pour the syrup on the rice after it's cooked so that it doesn't come out like Chinese rice, all sticky.

Noosh-e Jan! -Fardad

ff11@cornell.edu (Fardad Firouznia) soc.culture.iranian

From: Jim Weller Date: 12-17-96 (10:54) Occ Bbs (51) Cooking

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