This is a very famous Iranian dish that usually consists of chicken, rice, carrots, and spices. Each and every family and region might prepare and cook this delicious pilaf dish differently, I cook it the way my mother cooked it, sweet and sour with beautiful golden color. This dish in Farsi is called “Haveej Polo” which literally means carrot rice. Preparing and cooking dishes like this always brings back childhood memories, it reminds me of times where my mom cooked this chicken-carrot pilaf and how I really loved it my older sister whined about how she doesn’t like it because it tasted sweet and sour.
In Iran people consume lots of rice, it is served on daily bases and both for lunch and dinner. Yeppp, you’re right that’s a lot of rice! 🙄 Rice dishes are of 2 types. First is a plain white rice (known as “POLO” )or saffron rice that is served with stew or some sort of kebob (grilled meat or chicken). Second type is mixed rice dish, where the rice is mixed with meat, chicken, fish or shrimp, then some vegetables and spices will be added to it to glorify and highlight all the flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 1 large boneless chicken breasts (or 2 small)
- 3 medium carrots (or 2 large)
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1 large lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground saffron
- 1/4 cup dried ground lemon
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon salt for the rice
Instructions
- Wash the rice 3 to 5 times and soak in 4 cups warm water.
- Peel, wash and trim carrots, cut carrots into 1 inch long, 1/3 inch wide and 1/3 inch thick pieces.
- Thinly slice chicken breast into small pieces and finely mince onion.
- Place a large pan over medium high heat, pour 2 tablespoons oil, add minced onion and saute for 1 minute, add chicken slices, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add carrots and continue stirring and cooking for 3 more minutes. Add seasoning, lemon juice, sugar and all spices accordingly, stir to combine and mix all the ingredients, turn off heat, cover and set aside.
- Now fill a large nonstick pot halfway with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and place over high heat, bring water to rapid boil, strain rice and add to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile place a large colander over a large bowl and place it in the kitchen sink. After cooking the rice for 5 minutes, pour the rice with its water in the colander, remove the colander from the bowl and strain the rice from any excess water.
- Use the same pot and place it over medium high heat, add the other 2 tablespoons of oil add 1/4 cup warm water, slowly start adding half of the boiled rice to cover the base of the pot. Add all the chicken carrot filling over the rice, cover the filling with rest of the boiled rice. Use the back of a spoon and poke 5 holes in the rice (all the way down to the base). Mix 3 tablespoons of warm water with melted butter and pour into the holes. Cover the pot and let it cook for 3 minutes, reduce heat to just a bit under medium, wrap the pot's lid with a clean kitchen towel and cook rice for 30 minutes.
- use a large slotted spoon and carefully fluff and mix rice with the chicken carrot filling, plate garnish and serve while still warm.
- The crust formed at the base of the pot is called Tah-Deeg in Iran and is a very important to be served along side any rice dish. If it comes out crispy and golden it shows the cook's professionalism in cooking rice.
Notes
** The dry ground lemon or lime is usually sold in Middle Eastern, Iranian markets. If you are unable to find the ground dry lemon/lime substitute it with lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. The end result, flavore and color will not be exactly the same but it will be close.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 1 large boneless chicken breasts (or 2 small)
- 3 medium carrots (or 2 large)
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1 large lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground saffron
- 1/4 cup dried ground lemon
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon salt for the rice
Instructions
- Wash the rice 3 to 5 times and soak in 4 cups warm water.
- Peel, wash and trim carrots, cut carrots into 1 inch long, 1/3 inch wide and 1/3 inch thick pieces.
- Thinly slice chicken breast into small pieces and finely mince onion.
- Place a large pan over medium high heat, pour 2 tablespoons oil, add minced onion and saute for 1 minute, add chicken slices, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add carrots and continue stirring and cooking for 3 more minutes. Add seasoning, lemon juice, sugar and all spices accordingly, stir to combine and mix all the ingredients, turn off heat, cover and set aside.
- Now fill a large nonstick pot halfway with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and place over high heat, bring water to rapid boil, strain rice and add to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile place a large colander over a large bowl and place it in the kitchen sink. After cooking the rice for 5 minutes, pour the rice with its water in the colander, remove the colander from the bowl and strain the rice from any excess water.
- Use the same pot and place it over medium high heat, add the other 2 tablespoons of oil add 1/4 cup warm water, slowly start adding half of the boiled rice to cover the base of the pot. Add all the chicken carrot filling over the rice, cover the filling with rest of the boiled rice. Use the back of a spoon and poke 5 holes in the rice (all the way down to the base). Mix 3 tablespoons of warm water with melted butter and pour into the holes. Cover the pot and let it cook for 3 minutes, reduce heat to just a bit under medium, wrap the pot's lid with a clean kitchen towel and cook rice for 30 minutes.
- use a large slotted spoon and carefully fluff and mix rice with the chicken carrot filling, plate garnish and serve while still warm.
- The crust formed at the base of the pot is called Tah-Deeg in Iran and is a very important to be served along side any rice dish. If it comes out crispy and golden it shows the cook's professionalism in cooking rice.
Notes
** The dry ground lemon or lime is usually sold in Middle Eastern, Iranian markets. If you are unable to find the ground dry lemon/lime substitute it with lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. The end result, flavore and color will not be exactly the same but it will be close.
Bon Appetite
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