Istanbuli Polo: a Global Recipe

I find it fascinating that as we travel and find homes in different places in the world; our culture, language, sense of humor, and recipes follow and find new homes too. Istanbuli polo is a one of those recipes that each country represents. In Iran, they call it Lubia polo, or rice and beans in the west. The main ingredient is the amazing green bean which is truly a legume after my heart! Green beans are packed with vitamin K which help with maintaining healthy strong bones, contain antioxidant vitamins A and C which help to prevent oxidation of cholesterol, and They're also a good source of potassium and magnesium to normalize blood pressure and take some of the load off of the heart.

Istanbuli Polo

Tools needed

Non-Stick Cooking Pot
Pressure Cooker
Colander
Spatula
Cutting Board
Chef's Knife

Total Time: 1 hr 30 minutes- 2 hours.
Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

2-3 Cups Basmati Rice
8 Cups of Boiling Water
1 Pound of Stew Meat, chicken, or turkey-cubed. (Vegetarians can skip the meat)
2 Cups of Green Beans-chopped
1 Onion-chopped
1 Ripe Tomato- finely chopped or pureed
1 Potato-thinly sliced
6 Oz or 2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
5 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Sprigs of Saffron-steeped
5 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Cracked Black Pepper
1/2 Tablespoon of Ground Tumeric

Step 1: You can save 1/2 an hour if you use a pressure cooker. But if you feel more cooking with a regular pot, you will have the same results. Add 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pot on medium heat. Add your onions and when they trun translucent, add the meat. cook for 2 minutes before turning, then add turmeric, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, and black pepper. When the meat is browned, add the tomato, tomato paste, green beans, and 2 cup of water and bring to boil. If you are using a pressure cooker, cover the lid and cook for 30 minutes. If you are using a pot, simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Step 2: In the non-stick pot, boil 6 cups of water, add 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, add basmati rice, and 4 Tablespoons of salt. Don't cook the rice all the way, if you do, your end result will be mushy. So, cook the rice for about 15 minutes over medium heat. When 1/2 cooked, pour the rice in a colander and gently wash with cold water to wash away the starch and salt.


Step 3:Wash and dry your pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and line the bottom of your pot with the sliced potatoes. Layer with 1/2 the portion of rice, top with the cooked stew, and lay the rest of the rice on top and pour the steeped saffron over the rice. Poke holes in the rice mixture and cover with a cloth lined lid. Steam for 10 minutes over medium to high heat, then turn to low heat for 45 minutes.

Serve this delicious meal with tabouli! The flavors compliment each other perfectly. Bon appetite!

cooking tips:
-Adding salt to your rice extracts the starch in the pot.
-Extra virgin olive oil avoids the rice grains from clumping when you boil the rice.
-When cooking with meat, always make sure that you wash properly and completely dry before adding to heat.
-Be aware of heat temprature when cooking with extra virgin olive oil- If you use high heat, your oil might get smokey and burn.
-When you steam rice, make sure your lid is lined with a cotton cloth or paper towel.

Photo by Leslee Mitchell