By
Heidi Noroozy
The
holiday season is upon us. I know this because Christmas lights, Santa Claus
figures, and candy canes are winking at me from store-front displays all over
town. And it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. But the turkey feast is just a few days
away, so naturally my thoughts turn to food.
Thanksgiving
is probably our most quintessentially American holiday. Even recent immigrants
will set aside the familiar flavors of the old country and serve a roast turkey
with all the traditional trimmings. One of the best Thanksgiving meals I ever
tasted was prepared by my husband’s Iranian cousins in Los Angeles. You can
read all about it here.
I
like to mix things up culturally, so my holiday feast has Persian flavors along
with the American ones. There will be some sort of roast fowl on the table this
coming Thursday, but it won’t take center stage. That exalted position will be
occupied by a big platter of javaher polo,
a Persian rice dish that looks like the cook scattered brilliant gemstones over
a mound of snow.
Javaher
polo is traditionally served at weddings, and for good reason. It is a joyful
dish that offers a celebratory blend of colors, flavors, and textures. White
rice sparkles with pistachios, orange peel, and ruby-toned barberries (zereshk), finished off with a splash of
golden saffron. This dish is good hot or cold, paired with chicken kebabs or
Thanksgiving turkey, served on its own for a quick snack or with a spoonful of
yogurt on the side.
Like
the holiday meal itself, I’ve messed with the traditional recipe for this dish
by replacing some of the traditional orange peel with tangerine, which makes
the rice even more fragrant. And I’ve added a secret ingredient. I’ll share it
if you promise not to tell.
Come
closer, and let me whisper it in your ear…
Rosewater.
Not
too much. Just a drop or two. You don’t want your rice to smell like a summer
garden. It’s November, after all.
So
if you’d like to add a bit of Persian flair to your holiday meal this year,
hold the mashed potatoes and serve a platter of javaher polo. Here’s the
recipe:
Ingredients:
1
orange (peel only)
2
tangerines (peel only)
2
medium-sized carrots, julienned
½
cup sliced pistachios
1
cup slivered almonds
1
cup zereshk (barberries), available
in Middle Eastern markets*
½
cup sugar
½
teaspoon powdered saffron dissolved in 3-4 tablespoons of hot water
Splash of rosewater (optional)
Splash of rosewater (optional)
3
tablespoons butter
For
the rice:
2
½ cups Basmati rice
8
cups water
3
tablespoons oil
¼
teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Directions:
1. Rinse the rice in several changes of water.
Cover with more water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and soak for at least one
hour.
2. Cover the barberries with cold water in a
bowl and let stand for at least 20 minutes so any grit will sink to the bottom.
3. Quarter and then peel the oranges and
tangerines. Remove the white part with a sharp knife and discard. Cut the
remaining peel crosswise into strips. Cover with cold water in a small saucepan
and bring to a boil. Drain and rinse in cold water.
4. Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add
the carrots and sauté until they start to soften, about 5-10 minutes. Add the
citrus peel and nuts and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
5. Scoop the barberries out of the water, making
sure that the grit remains at the bottom of the bowl, and add to the
carrot/orange peel/nut mixture along with the sugar. Stir until the sugar
dissolves. Add the saffron water, bring to a simmer, cover the pan and simmer
on low heat for 20 minutes, adding more water if the mixture gets too dry.
6. Bring the 8 cups of water to a boil in a
large non-stick pot and add the rice. Cook until al dente (firm to the teeth,
but no longer hard). Drain and rinse with cool water.
7 Heat the oil in the same pot and layer the
rice with the carrot/orange peel mixture in a pyramid shape, starting and
ending with rice. Poke some holes in the top to let the steam escape and
sprinkle 1/4 cup of warm water over the top. Cover with a tight-fitting lid
wrapped in a clean dish towel, lower the heat and cook for 40-50 minutes.
Uncover and pour the saffron water over the top. Cover again and cook for
another 5-10 minutes
Noosh-e jaan! Bon appetit!
* Dried cranberries
or cherries can be substituted for the barberries, but you’ll need to use less
sugar. Barberries are very sour.
A couple of years ago when I prepared a Thanksgiving feast for a very small group, I went to my local butcher to order half a turkey. I wanted legs and breasts, so I wanted half. The stuffing went underneath. Anyway, the butcher, a child of WWII, told me how much he loved America and Americans because of the rescue at the end of the war. He'd taught his son to love America, too. When I went to pick up my half-turkey on Thanksgiving morning, father and son had seen news about Thanksgiving traditions. They were planning to dine on turkey, too. But I suspect the meal began with lasagne--always a holiday treat--and ended with tiramasu`.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story, Patricia. Thanks for sharing it. When I lived abroad, Thanksgiving was always the holiday I missed the most.
DeleteWhat a feast you'll be having this week Heidi! Enjoy it!
ReplyDelete