Lubia Polo with Beef
Iranian layered rice with small beef cubes, green beans, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron.
Preparation: 25 min · Cooking: 1 hr 10 min · Total: 1 hr 50 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 240 ml Dry basmati rice
- 240 ml Trimmed green beans, chopped into 1 cm pieces
- 150 g Raw beef cut into approximately 1 cm cubes, not mince
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Small onion, peeled and chopped — 1
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter; milk)
- 0.25 tsp Ground turmeric
- 240 ml Potable water
- 1500 ml Rice parboiling water, discarded
- 30 ml Retained rice steaming water
- 0.125 tsp Dry saffron threads
- 30 ml Hot water for saffron infusion
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Additional potable water only if needed; measure actual additions (optional)
Instructions
Measure dry rice and small beef cubes
Use 240 ml DRY basmati, 240 ml chopped green beans, 150 g raw beef cubes and 1 tsp cinnamon. Half uses 120 ml rice/beans, 75 g beef and 0.5 tsp cinnamon; fourfold 960 ml rice/beans, 600 g beef and 4 tsp cinnamon. Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; all step quantities describe the 2-serving base. For 1 serving halve every ingredient; for 8 use four times every ingredient. Keep the same food thickness and use more pans or batches, not a deeper vessel. Temperatures and per-batch first-check times do not multiply.
Half uses 120 ml rice/beans, 75 g beef and 0.5 tsp cinnamon; fourfold 960 ml rice/beans, 600 g beef and 4 tsp cinnamon.
Make the measured infusion
Infuse 0.125 tsp dry saffron in 30 ml hot water in a clean covered cup. All of this infusion goes over the rice later; it is separate from the 30 ml plain steaming water.
All of this infusion goes over the rice later; it is separate from the 30 ml plain steaming water.
Build the beef and bean sauce
Soften onion in 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Brown the beef with 0.25 tsp turmeric. Add green beans and 2 tbsp tomato paste; stir for 3 minutes without burning.
Add green beans and 2 tbsp tomato paste; stir for 3 minutes without burning.
Simmer until meat is tender
Add 240 ml sauce water and simmer from 20 minutes until beef and beans are tender and cooked through. Add measured hot water only if needed, then reduce to a thick moist sauce. Stir in all 1 tsp cinnamon, salt and pepper; 20 minutes is not guaranteed for every cut.
Stir in all 1 tsp cinnamon, salt and pepper; 20 minutes is not guaranteed for every cut.
Simmer until meat is tender: 1200 seconds
Parboil the rice separately
Bring 1500 ml separate water with a little salt to a boil. Parboil rice from 7 minutes until partly cooked with a firmer centre, then drain thoroughly; this water is discarded.
Parboil rice from 7 minutes until partly cooked with a firmer centre, then drain thoroughly; this water is discarded.
Layer while the sauce is hot
Melt 1 tbsp ghee at the base of a suitable pot over low heat. Alternate drained rice and hot beef-bean sauce loosely. Add 30 ml plain steaming water and all 30 ml saffron infusion; do not count these as parboiling water.
Add 30 ml plain steaming water and all 30 ml saffron infusion; do not count these as parboiling water.
Steam with a normal fitted lid
Cover with a normal fitted lid and steam over very low heat from 40 minutes until rice is tender and the assembled dish reaches 74°C throughout. Check several places; no hollow-tap or crust test proves safety.
Check several places; no hollow-tap or crust test proves safety.
Steam with a normal fitted lid: 2400 seconds
Serve or chill promptly
Fluff gently and serve hot. Cool leftovers rapidly in shallow portions, ideally within 1 hour, and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for no more than 24 hours. Reheat once to 74°C throughout; a crisp tahdig is not guaranteed.
Reheat once to 74°C throughout; a crisp tahdig is not guaranteed.
Tips
- Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; all step quantities describe the 2-serving base. For 1 serving halve every ingredient; for 8 use four times every ingredient. Keep the same food thickness and use more pans or batches, not a deeper vessel. Temperatures and per-batch first-check times do not multiply.
Common mistakes
- Use clean utensils and separate raw ingredients from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate perishables at 4°C or colder; discard after more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 32°C.
Substitutions
- Keep the specified ingredients, preparation states and measured quantities; no unmeasured substitution is approved for this master.
Storage
Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder; use within 1 day, never beyond ingredient use-by limits. These are selected household limits, not validated shelf life. Chill rice rapidly in shallow portions, ideally within 1 hour; reheat only once.
Reheating
Reheat once until steaming throughout and 74°C in the centre; do not rely on surface warmth.
About this recipe
Iranian layered rice with small beef cubes, green beans, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.