One of the common customs for the New Year’s celebration is to buy new clothes, spread the Haft Sin table and cook sabzi pilaf with fish on the eve of the new year.
This delicious and festive dish has a different taste on Eid night and is usually cooked in different ways, for example, some friends prefer vegetable pilaf with fish, and some with smoked fish. In the end, there is not much difference in the essence of the matter and the method of preparing sabzi pilaf is similar with any fish.
The life of sabzi polo ba mahi as a special food for Eid night is very short compared to the thousands of years of Nowruz.In the old days,Iranians used to cook and eat foods other than their regular and daily food such as khoresh e fesenjoon or Shirin polo on the night of Nowruz Eid,and in fact,it is not known since when sabzi polo ba mahi became a constant staple of the table in the night of Eid.Of course,according to some narratives and legends,the reason for eating fish in Nowruz is the story of finding the ring of Hazrat Suleiman in the belly of a fish,which we will tell you now.Hazrat Suleiman had a ring with the help of which he was able to bring demons and fairies to his service.In the meantime,the demon threw Solomon’s ring into the sea so that he would no longer be able to control them.Then he disguised himself as Solomon and sat on the throne.Solomon told the story to the people,but no one believed him.After this incident,Suleiman took refuge in the sea and turned to fishing.After some time,Suleiman caught a fish and found his lost ring in its belly and put it back in his hand.The news reached the people and they realized that the real Solomon was outside the city and that the person sitting on the throne was actually a demon.On the 13th day of Nowruz the people pulled the demon down from the throne and went outside the city to bring Solomon back.
Sourced: mealscook
Ancient Iranians believed that at the beginning of the new year, they should set a table that symbolizes blessing, abundance, and health, such as the Haft Sin table and the table for Eid food and fish and vegetable pilaf. Fish was a symbol of blessing, wealth, health and expansion of sustenance; Rice is a symbol of birth and fertility and greens are a symbol of being blessed and fertile. Just like the Haft Sin table, each of its symbols is a teller of goodness, health, blessing, abundance, and the hope of having a good year.
rice:4 cups
fish:4 medium
Fresh pilaf vegetables (pilaf vegetables include: dill, parsley, coriander and fresh garlic leaves and shallots):400 grams
Grated garlic:6 cloves
onion:1pcs
flour:5 tablespoons
Infused saffron:as needed
lemon:1 pcs
fish spices (coriander eggs, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, thyme, garlic powder, red pepper, paprika):as needed
Instruction:
As you know, choosing the type of fish to make sabzi polow ba mahi depends entirely on your taste , for this reason, you can cook any other type of fish instead of salmon, and there is not much difference when cooking it.
1. The first step is to clean and wash vegetables for pilaf
To make sabzi polow, it is better to use a combination of dill, leek, coriander, parsley and garlic leaves. Clean the vegetables and wash them well and finally drain them until the excess water is removed.
Once the vegetables are well dried, it is time to chop them finely and leave them aside for one to two hours until the vegetable juices are reduced. be taken Chopped and juicy vegetables make your pilaf so-called shafeta, so it is very important to leave the vegetables aside to reduce its moisture.
The second step is to season the salmon
Seasoning the fish is not that difficult, take a container suitable for the size of your fish. First, pour desired amount of spices into the container and add grated garlic along with grated onion juice. Juice half a lime and add it to your ingredients along with three spoons of brewed saffron.
Now it’s time to add the fish, cut the fish as desired or leave it perfectly to taste, the thing you should know is that if you want to use the fish healthy, it is better to use the ingredients inside the fish belly than the fish meat. It will also be flavored.
The duration of seasoning the fish is 1 to 2 hours, during this time, close the lid of the fish container and put it in the refrigerator so that it tastes good.
The third step is cooking rice and combining it with vegetables
At this stage, you need to pour water into the appropriate pot with the amount of rice and put it on a medium flame until it boils, the amount of rice water is about 1.5 liters.
When the rice water boils, it’s time to add the rice to the boiling water and let it cook a little, don’t forget that one to one and a half cups of salt should be added to the rice. When your rice is ready to be drained, you can add vegetables to it and finally drain the pilaf vegetables.
The best time to drain rice is when the beginning and end of a grain of rice is almost crushed, but the middle of the rice is still hard and half cooked. At this time, vegetables should be added to it and rinsed after 3–4 minutes.
After rinsing, put the bottom of the pot you want in the pot and pour rice and a little cinnamon layer by layer into the pot, and finally pour the rest of the brewed saffron on the rice to take away the flavor and taste of the green rice pilaf.
The fourth step is to fry the fish
In the interval that you have cooked the sabzi pilaf, it is time for the seasoned fish. Mix the flour with the fish spices and coat the fish well in the flour and spices and put it on a hot pan with a medium flame. Remember to put the fish on the pan from the meat side and let the fish meat be well combined with a medium flame, then reduce the flame and let the middle of the fish cook well.
The last step of cooking fish, if you like, you can use melted butter to flavor the fish, you can do this step when serving the fish in the dish.
1.What is Sabzi Polo ba Mahi?
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi is a traditional Persian dish made with herbed rice and fish. “Sabzi” refers to herbs, “Polo” is rice, and “Mahi” means fish.
2. What are the main ingredients in Sabzi Polo ba Mahi?
The main ingredients for Sabzi Polo ba Mahi are rice, fish (such as white fish or salmon), and a mixture of fresh herbs (such as dill, cilantro, and parsley). Other ingredients may include vegetables (such as green onions and garlic), spices (such as saffron and turmeric), and cooking oil (such as vegetable oil or butter).
How is Sabzi Polo ba Mahi prepared?
The preparation of Sabzi Polo ba Mahi typically involves several steps. First, the rice is washed and soaked, then boiled until partially cooked. The fresh herbs are finely chopped and sautéed with vegetables and spices. The partially cooked rice is then layered with the herb mixture and fish in a pot, and the dish is cooked over low heat until the rice is fully cooked and the flavors have melded together.
What is the significance of Sabzi Polo ba Mahi in Persian cuisine?
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi is a popular and cherished dish in Persian cuisine, often associated with the Persian New Year celebration called Norooz. It is considered a festive dish, typically served during special occasions and celebrations, and is enjoyed for its flavorful and aromatic combination of herbs, rice, and fish.
What are some serving suggestions for Sabzi Polo ba Mahi?
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi is often served with a side of Shirazi salad, which is a refreshing Persian salad made with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and herbs. It is also common to serve Sabzi Polo ba Mahi with yogurt, pickled vegetables, and/or bread such as lavash or naan.
Are there any variations of Sabzi Polo ba Mahi?
Yes, there are variations of Sabzi Polo ba Mahi that may vary by region or personal preference. Some variations may include using different types of fish, herbs, or spices, and the cooking techniques may also vary. For example, some recipes may call for pan-searing the fish before layering it with rice and herbs, while others may bake the dish in the oven.
