Rice With Lentils and Dates (Addas Polow)

user-pic
Vote 0 Votes

2 cups basmati (long-grain) rice
1/2 cup butter or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lamb or beef, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (see note)
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon good-quality powdered saffron or crushed saffron threads, diluted in 1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup black or golden raisins
1 cup pitted dates, split in half or coarsely chopped
1/3 cup blanched almonds (optional)

Wash and drain the rice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter or oil in a skillet and fry the onion until golden. Add the meat and saute, stirring and turning the pieces, until browned all over. Cover with water, add salt and pepper to taste, cinnamon and allspice and simmer for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Boil the lentils in water for about 20 minutes, until done, adding salt when they begin to soften. Then drain. Boil the rice in a heavy-bottomed, preferably nonstick pan for 10 minutes, until not quite tender and still a little underdone. Drain the rice. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter or oil in the bottom of the pan, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the saffron water and about a third of the rice. Spread half the meat on top, then sprinkle on half the lentils, raisins, dates and almonds, if using. Cover with a layer of another third of the rice and the remaining meat, lentils, raisins and dates, and finish with the rice that is left. Melt the remaining butter, stir in the remaining saffron water and pour all over. Cook, uncovered, on very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Per serving (based on 8): 600 calories (percent of calories from fat, 31), 26 grams protein, 78 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 21 grams fat, 54 milligrams cholesterol, 39 milligrams sodium

Leave a comment

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Kathy published on January 4, 2001 12:04 PM.

Copy Cat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole was the previous entry in this blog.

Chocolate Poundcake is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.