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5.0 from 15 votes

Albaloo Polo (Persian Sour Cherry Rice)

Albaloo polo is a traditional Persian rice dish with sweet and sour flavors. The vibrant color and bright flavors of this dish come from the sour cherries mixed with rice and topped with saffron rice, pistachios and almonds

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 621 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Persian

Ingredients

  • 1/4 tsp ground saffron
  • 1 lb sour cherries cleaned and pitted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or any other neutral flavored oil
  • 1 lavash bread
  • 4 tbsp butter
Meatballs
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil or any other neutral flavored oil
Garnish
  • 2 tbsp Slivered Pistachios
  • 2 tbsp slivered almonds

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Sprinkle the saffron over 2 cubes of ice and let it melt. This will be your bloomed saffron.
  2. Place the sour cherries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes until the cherries have softened but have kept their shape. Remove them from the sauce pan and simmer the syrup for another 10 minutes to thicken. Turn the heat off and set it all aside.
  3. Wash the basmati rice a few times to get rid of the excess starch. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the salt. Add the rice and boil for 6 to 7 minutes. You'll know the rice is ready once you can break it between your fingers but the middle is still firm. Drain and quickly rinse with running cold water to stop the cooking process.
  4. Pour the oil into the same pot and place the lavash pieces at the bottom of the pot. Add 1/3 of the rice to the pot and top it with 1/2 sour cherries as well as 4-5 tablespoons of the syrup. Add another 1/3 of the rice and the remaining sour cherries and 4-5 tablespoons syrup followed by the remainder of the rice and another 3 tablespoons of the syrup. With the end of a wooden spoon, poke 5 holes into the rice for the moisture to escape.
  5. Melt the butter with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour it all over the rice and around the edges. Wrap the lids in a kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Cook over medium low heat for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is fluffy and tender.
  6. Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Grate the onion and squeeze it well to get out all the excess juice. Discard the juice and mix the grated onion with the ground beef, salt, pepper and turmeric, Make small meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat and sear the meatballs for about 10 minutes so they're fully cooked and golden brown on all sides.
  7. Once the rice is ready, turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes. Gently fluff it, reserve 1/2 cup of the rice, mix it with bloomed saffron and transfer the rest to a serving platter. Arrange the meatballs on the platter and top the sour cherry rice with saffron flavored rice, slivered almonds and pistachios.

Notes

  • Make sure to use sour cherries and not regular cherries. Regular cherries are too large and sweet for this recipe. 
  • You can add more sugar if you like the dish sweeter. The amount of sugar mentioned in the recipe will give you balanced sour cherry rice. 
  • If desired, you can saute the pistachios and almonds before adding them to the rice. 
  • Make sure you're using bastamti rice, medium or short grain rice won't work well with Iranian recipes. 
  • Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan or a saucepan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. 
  • You can also freeze albaloo polo for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 621kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 72g (24%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 8g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 55mg (18%) Sodium 1286mg (54%) Potassium 375mg (11%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 27g (54%) Vitamin A 212IU (4%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 43mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 621

% Daily Value*

Calories 621kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 72g 24%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g 47%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 1286mg 54%
Potassium 375mg 8%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 27g 54%
Vitamin A 212IU 4%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 43mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.