Iranian shirin polow brings together sweet rice and colourful, fragrant fruit. The taste of this traditional Iranian dish pleases the eyes as well as the palate. Crunchy nuts, soft raisins and various dried fruits combine in a special rice dish served at festivals, family gatherings and special occasions. Here is the recipe.

First, peel the orange thinly with a knife or peeler. To reduce the bitterness, soak the peel in cold water in a bowl for a few hours, then boil it in water for about 5 minutes and drain. To serve chicken with the shirin polow, marinate the chicken pieces in yoghurt and tandoori masala for at least 2 hours. Then bake, air-fry or cook the marinated chicken in a sauce. You can use spices of your choice.

Boil plenty of water with salt in a large pot. Wash basmati rice well and soak it for an hour. When the water boils, add the rice and cook until half done, then drain it in a colander. Divide the rice into two portions and mix saffron water into one.

Meanwhile, to caramelise the malta peel, stir 4 tablespoons of sugar and half a cup of water in a small pan until the sugar melts. Add the orange peel and grated carrot and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes until caramelised.

Lower the heat and put butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Spread the white half-cooked rice first, then scatter the caramelised malta peel and some nuts over it. Add the layer of saffron rice. Sprinkle a little rose water, cover with the lid and seal the edges with foil or dough. Leave on dum for 40 minutes. Finally, scatter malta peel and nuts on top and serve with the cooked chicken.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.