Recipe · Serves 4

Morasa Polo – Persian Jewelled Rice

Morasa Polo: Persian jewelled rice with saffron, nuts and dried fruit. A true feast for the eyes.

This dish is known as “jewelled rice”, and it is one of the most colourful plates in Persian cooking. In fact, it brings soft basmati rice together with nuts, dried fruit and saffron. That is why families serve it on big days, such as weddings or Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

Morasa Polo – Persian jewelled rice with nuts, barberries and saffron

Ingredients for Morasa Polo (serves 4)

For the rice

  • 3 cups basmati rice
  • Salt
  • 1/2 tsp saffron threads (dissolved in hot water)

For the garnish

  • 1 cup almonds (slivered)
  • 1 cup pistachios (shelled and halved)
  • 1 cup barberries (rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 tbsp orange peel strips (dried or fresh, optional)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil

Optional (with meat)

  • 300 g chicken breast or lamb (cut into small pieces)
  • Salt, pepper and turmeric
  • 1 large onion

Santoor tips for perfect jewelled rice

  • Saffron: above all, good saffron gives the rice a rich smell and a deep gold colour.
  • Nuts and fruit: in short, fresh nuts and good dried fruit make all the difference.
  • Sides: for example, serve the rice with pickles (torshi) or yoghurt.

Step-by-step method

  1. Prepare the rice

    First, rinse the rice well. Then soak it for 30 minutes in lightly salted water. Next, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the rice and boil it for 5–7 minutes until half done. Finally, drain it and rinse with cold water.

  2. Prepare the nuts and dried fruit

    Now fry the barberries in a pan with 1 tbsp butter or oil. Add the sugar to soften their sour taste. After that, toast the almonds, pistachios and raisins one by one in a dry pan. Set them aside. If you use orange peel, blanch it in hot water first to take away the bitter taste. Then fry it for a moment in butter.

  3. Optional: cook the meat

    Slice the onion into strips and fry it in a little oil. Next, add the chicken or lamb. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric and cook until the meat is tender.

  4. Steam the rice

    Grease the base of the pot with oil. For a crisp crust (tahdig), lay thin slices of potato or a thin layer of rice on the base. Then add the rest of the rice and pour the saffron water over it. Finally, wrap the lid in a tea towel and steam the rice on low heat for 30–40 minutes.

  5. Serve

    At last, spoon the rice loosely onto a large plate. Scatter the barberries, raisins, pistachios, almonds and orange peel over the top. If you like, also place the meat around or on the rice.

Why Morasa Polo at Santoor?

At Santoor, we cook this dish with love and the best food we can find. In short, we want you to enjoy a plate full of colour and scent, a true feast for the senses! Of course, our kitchen is 100% halal.

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