How to make Persian Lubia Polo
aka Persian green bean ground beef saffron rice
Easy Persian Lubia Polo has always been my favorite dish growing up, and now it’s even more special because it’s my mom’s recipe. I’m spending the month at my parents' house, and my mom recently made this for Olive and I. Watching her cook it brought back so many memories, and Olive loved it just as much as I did as a kid. My mom even helped me write out this recipe for you. So you’re getting the real, authentic version straight from her kitchen. This dish is a great way to explore Persian flavors, and it’s close to my heart!
Our easy Persian Lubia Polo recipe!
Servings: 4-6
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
10 minutes (prep time for ingredients)
20 minutes (for partially cooking rice and preparing meat and beans)
40 minutes (steaming the rice)
10-20 minutes (additional time for layering and cooking)
Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati rice
3 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil + 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (for crispy rice)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 cups frozen green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 piece of lavash bread or tortilla
Instructions:
Cook the Rice:
Rinse the Basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it's slightly tender but not fully cooked. You are looking for rice to be “al dente.”
Drain the rice and set it aside.
Prepare the Ground Beef and Green Beans:
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and sauté for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and golden brown.
Add the ground beef to the onion in the skillet. Cook until the meat is browned, breaking it apart with a spoon.
Once the meat has cooked, add the tomato paste with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir to combine.
Stir in the green beans and cook for another 5 minutes until they start to soften.
Add Spices and Tomato Paste:
Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper, mixing well.
Bloom the saffron by lightly crushing the threads using a mortar and pestle to break them down. Place the 1/2 teaspoon of saffron into a small bowl or cup. Add 2-3 tablespoons of warm (not boiling) water to the saffron. The water should be warm enough to release the saffron’s color and aroma but not so hot that it destroys the delicate flavors.
Add the saffron into the ground beef and green beans.Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
IMPORTANT TIP! In the last 5 minutes of cooking, turn the heat on medium high, with no lid on the skillet. And allow any juice to evaporate. You want to make sure there is no juice in this stew before layering. Remove from the pot and set aside to get ready for layering.
Layer the Rice and Beef Mixture:
In the same pot used to cook the rice, start by adding 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Layer the lavash or tortilla on the bottom of the pan.
Then layer on a thin layer of rice on top of the bread.
Add a layer of the beef and green bean mixture over the rice.
Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of rice on top.
Steam the Rice:
Make a few holes in the rice with the back of a spoon to allow steam to escape.
Cover the pot with a lid and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy, rotating the pan every 15 minute to allow for even cooking.
Serve:
Flip the dish over into a serving dish. Serve with plain greek yogurt.
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