Martha Stewart Albaloo Polo

Martha Stewart Albaloo Polo is an easy Persian rice side dish made with basmati rice, saffron and sour-cherry preserves, ready in 50 minutes. Try this simple saffron rice recipe for a weeknight dinner, Nowruz or a holiday table, since it layers in one pot and feeds a crowd.

Wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel before you cover the pot, because the cloth soaks up steam that would otherwise drip back onto the rice. Skip it and the grains turn damp and sticky instead of light and fluffy.

Martha layers the rice with sour-cherry preserves and buttered holes poked through each layer, so the fruit and butter spread through the whole pot. She also stirs saffron into only the top layer, which gives you gold grains next to the white and the cherry-studded ones.

Martha Stewart Albaloo Polo

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Course: Side DishCuisine: American, PersianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Fluffy basmati rice is layered with sour-cherry preserves and dotted with butter, then steamed under a towel-wrapped lid. The result is tender grains in saffron gold, plain white and cherry red, with no crisp bottom crust.

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
  

• Kosher salt
  

• Large pinch of saffron (about 1/4 teaspoon)
  

• 1 tablespoon scalding-hot water (160 to 180 degrees)
  

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

• 1 cup Sour-Cherry Preserves , drained in a fine-mesh sieve
  

Directions

• Boil the rice: Cook 2 cups basmati rice in a large pot of salted water like pasta, boiling 7 to 9 minutes. It should be cooked through with some bite left in the center.
• Drain and rinse: Drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse with cool water and drain again. This stops the cooking so the grains stay separate.
• Steep the saffron: Steep a large pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon scalding-hot water in a small bowl. Leave it 5 minutes, until the liquid turns bright orange.
• Start the first layer: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Then add one-third of the rice, spreading it to the edges in an even layer.
• Add cherries and butter: Scatter half of the 1 cup drained sour-cherry preserves over the rice, then poke 4 holes through it with the bottom of a wooden spoon. Cut 1 tablespoon butter into small pieces and place them on the holes.
• Build the second layer: Spoon half of the remaining rice on top, followed by the remaining preserves. Poke 4 more holes and dot each with the last 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces.
• Add the saffron layer: Stir the saffron mixture into the remaining rice, then add it to the pot as the final layer. This keeps the golden color on top.
• Steam the rice: Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel and cover the pot, then reduce the heat to low. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is tender.
• Fluff and serve: Fluff the rice with a fork and season with kosher salt. Then serve it right away while it's hot and buttery.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, OXO wooden spoon set, Zaran Super Negin saffron threads. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why is the rice cooked twice?

The first boil gets the grains almost done, so they hold some bite in the center. The 25 to 30 minutes of steaming then finishes them gently, which keeps each grain separate and fluffy.

What can I use if I can't find sour-cherry preserves?

Any tart cherry preserves work, and so does a firm sour-cherry jam. Drain whatever you use well in a sieve, because extra syrup makes the rice wet and sticky.

How do I store leftover Albaloo Polo?

Cool the rice and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it with a splash of water in a covered pan or the microwave so it steams back to soft.

Do I need a special pot?

Martha's notes call for a wide saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. A wide pot spreads the layers thin so they cook evenly, and the tight lid holds in steam.

What's the most common mistake with this dish?

Overcooking the rice in the first boil is the big one, because grains that are already soft turn mushy during steaming. Pull the rice at 7 to 9 minutes while it still has some bite.