Lubria Polo (Persian Green Bean Rice)

In this week’s cooking club at Gilmore Park Church, we had Minoo to sharing with us two recipes. Minoo is the coordinator for the entire Richmond’s Community Kitchens. There are six community kitchens in all Richmond. She is also the group leader for 4 cooking clubs.

By the way, I’m attending 2 cooking clubs, i.e. the South Arm Community Centre cooking club and the Gilmore Park Church cooking club. I look forward going to the club meetings every week — I get learn cooking techniques and best of all made some good friends.

Here is the first recipe, the Persian Rice with green bean.

B_IMG_4540_edited-1

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 300-500g ground beef
  • 2 cups green beans, cut, 1 cm
  • 1/2 teaspoons saffron
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 5 1/2oz can of tomato paste
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Minoo started off with the cooking 4 cups of Basmati rice with 4 cups of water in an electric rice cooker. She used Basmati rice because it’s fluffy and the rice are separated when cooked (i.e. they don’t stick together). She also added some salt in the rice for taste.

IMG_4520_edited-1While the rice is cooking, Minoo sauteed the onions with some oil.
IMG_4522_edited-1When the onion is soften, she added the ground beef and cooked until the beef is brown.
IMG_4524_edited-1Minoo then added the green beans and sauteed for a while.
IMG_4525_edited-1Finally, the saffron, cinnamon and tomato paste are added to the beef/green bean mixture and stirred to mix well. You may adjust the amount of tomato paste to your preference. I used 3 tablespoons when I prepare this dish for my family.
IMG_4527_edited-1She also added about 100ml of water to the beef/green bean and cooked them for on low heat, covered for another 5 to 10 minutes.

By now, the rice will be 3/4 cooked. Minoo added the beef/green beans into the rice and mixed them well. The rice is then left to further cooked for another 5 to 10 minutes.

The rice is perfumed by the fragrant of saffron. According to Minoo, there is no substitute to saffron in this dish. For those who lives in Richmond, BC and would like to try out this dish, you can purchase saffron from a store called Sahand Supermarket along New Westminster and Minoru. Minoo said you may grind the saffron with a cube of sugar until they are in grain form. Another way to use it is to soak a few strands in hot water and use the saffron water. Even though this is a very expensive spice, you only use a little amount at a time.

This is a very simple one pot dish and it’s great for picnic or potluck. I will certainly make this for my family. Minoo, thank you so much for sharing the recipe.

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  1. Rosa

    Green beans are my favorites. I have to try this! YUM. I’m so hungry right now, I just want the entire dish!

  2. parisa

    Very delecious persian dish, one thing I have tried while mixing rice and the green bean mixture, put a little dry zafran and a little bit cinnemon on top and then put the cover. Thanks for sharing.

  3. Mahin Tayeran

    Hi, You did realy good job on Lubia polo. If you are interested in more persian food ask Minoo to teach you Baghali polo the one I made it when you came to my house! ๐Ÿ™‚ Say hi to everyone.

    Cheers, Mahin Tayeran

  4. VANEET SACHDEVA

    This blog has all the persian and Indian recipe . it is done by Kitchen King basmati rice ,

  5. Farhad

    It is LUBIA POLO, not LUBRIA !!!

  6. Jodi

    I made this last night and it was so delish! Thanks for the great recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

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