Shivid Polow ~ Persian Dill Rice
It was love at first bite when I first tried Shivid Polow, Persian Dill rice. I love dill very much but sometimes it’s a hard to use sometimes because it has a stronger flavor compared to other herbs used in Persian cuisine. Dill definitely has a tendency to stand out. As far as Persian cuisine is concerned I love the level of flavor that dill brings to Sabzi Polow, Baghali Polow, and Fava/Lima Bean and Dill Kuku. But also I absolutely love using dill with seafood.
This rice is so simple to make and I personally think that it tastes best when made with fresh dill.
Yes, it did take me a little while to strip the leaves from the stem, but in the end it was well worth it.
Ingredients
3 cups basmati rice
4 cups fresh dill, stems removed
1 tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp brewed saffron
4 tbsp canola oil
salt
Cook rice according to Cooking Rice For Polow
In the mean time rough chop dill and place in a bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and mix well. Adding salt at this point makes a huge difference in the the taste of the dish.
Then add minced garlic and once again mix well until all nicely incorporated.
Place 2 tablespoons of canola oil and 2 tablespoons of water in a non-stick pot and shake to mix. Add a couple of spatulas of par-boiled rice and a small handful of dill. Normally, at this point the rice is built up by alternating layers of rice and dill. However, I have found that it’s best to simply mix the remainder of the rice with the dill in a separate bowl and then simply place it in the pot in the form of a pyramid. Create 5 holes with the back of the spatula through the rice.
Cover rice and cook on high for 10 minutes.
Mix 4 tablespoons of brewed saffron with 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Â Carefully distribute the mixture all over the rice. Wrap lid in a towel and continue cooking covered for 1 hour.
Shivid Polow is great served with any type of fish you may have or even along with the Shrimp Kabob I posted a couple of days ago.
Additionally, it’s delicious served with Pan Fried Fish, Lamb Shanks or Chicken as well.
March 20, 2012
Can you please tell me how to use dry dill instead of the fresh one. I have a huge jar filled with it that my Mother in Law brought from Iran and I would love to use it for Bagali Polo.Thanks!
March 21, 2012
Karen, dried dill is easy to use, but you’d have to use far less. Generally, for every cup of fresh dill, I only use 1/4 cup of dry.
May 5, 2012
I’m so happy to find your blog – what great dishes you have added – My hubby is from Iran and we make a lot of iranian food – the best kitchen in the world.
August 7, 2012
Please can you tell me It will have to continue cooking for 1 hour on high temeprature?I love your blog!!!
August 14, 2012
Anastasljia, no you cook it on low for one hour!
November 4, 2012
thank you so much for your blogs! I tried making this rice with 1.5 cups of basmati rice, 3 cups of water, 3 tbsp of oil. The tahgid burned and the rice was mushy like asian rice. What did I do wrong? I absolutely love shivid polow and am dying to make it like yours!
November 6, 2012
Hi Melis, when people ask me about why their rice comes out mushy I ask the following questions: 1) was the rice over cooked in the parboiling part. The rice should be al dente and not cooked all the way through during the parboiling part. 2) Was a towel or a few pieces of paper placed during the steaming part between the pot and the lid? It’s important to use a towel so that it absorbs the moisture that rices from the rice so that it doesn’t fall back into the rice and make it most.
As far as the tahdig is concerned: 1) was canola oil or vegetable oil used AND was it mixed with water? It’s important to use oil that resists burning. 2) Was the rice cooked on low? The initial 10 minutes of steaming time should be on low and the rest of the time should be on the lowest setting to avoid burning of the tahdig. I hope this helps!
October 12, 2014
Hi, I am Indian (Goan), currently in Dubai. We discovered a bottle of Doogh in the supermarket. We love it and keep going back for more. I decided to search for information about it and fell into your site. We love Persian food, and make a weekly visit to our favorite Persian restaurant. If I can cook Persian dishes, my family will be ecstatic. Thank you. Now without much ado, I am going to dive in. 😀