Persian Tomato Rice with Beef (Loobia Polo)
Persian Tomato Rice with Beef (Loobia Polo)
Ingredients
For the Tomato-Beef Sauce
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, from a tube
- 15 ounces tomato sauce, or tomato puree
For the Rice
- 2 cups long grain basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly
- 8 cups water, for parboiling
- 1 tablespoon salt, for parboiling water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for tahdig
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Tomato-Beef Sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Add the ground beef to the pan with the onions. Brown the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Sprinkle the turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of salt over the browned beef and onions. Stir well to combine and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Squeeze in the tomato paste and pour in the tomato sauce. Stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, allowing the sauce to deepen in flavor and thicken slightly. Stir occasionally.
⏱️ 20 min
- 5
Parboil the Rice: While the sauce is simmering, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add the rinsed basmati rice and parboil for 5-7 minutes, or until the rice grains are elongated and slightly tender but still firm in the center (al dente).
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Drain the parboiled rice thoroughly using a fine-mesh colander.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Combine Rice and Sauce: Transfer the drained parboiled rice to a large mixing bowl. Add about 3/4 of the cooked tomato-beef sauce to the rice. Gently mix with a large spoon until the rice is evenly coated with the sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for layering.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Assemble and Cook for Tahdig: Pour 1/4 cup of vegetable oil into the bottom of a large, non-stick pot (the same one used for parboiling the rice, if clean, or a fresh one). Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Carefully spread a thin, even layer of plain parboiled rice (about 1 cup) over the bottom of the oiled pot. This will form the tahdig.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Gently spoon the mixed tomato-beef rice on top of the plain rice layer in the pot, forming a mound. Make a few small holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon to allow steam to escape.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel, then place the lid tightly over the towel. This creates a seal and absorbs excess moisture. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes to initiate the tahdig formation.
⏱️ 7 min
- 12
Reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook for 35-40 minutes, allowing the rice to steam and the tahdig to become golden and crispy.
⏱️ 40 min
- 13
Serve: Once cooked, remove the lid and towel. Place a large serving platter or plate upside down over the top of the pot. Using oven mitts, carefully and quickly invert the pot onto the platter to release the rice, with the crispy tahdig layer now on top. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Persian Tomato Rice with Beef (Loobia Polo)
For the Tomato-Beef Sauce
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, from a tube
- 15 ounces tomato sauce, or tomato puree
For the Rice
- 2 cups long grain basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly
- 8 cups water, for parboiling
- 1 tablespoon salt, for parboiling water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for tahdig
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Tomato-Beef Sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Add the ground beef to the pan with the onions. Brown the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Sprinkle the turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of salt over the browned beef and onions. Stir well to combine and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Squeeze in the tomato paste and pour in the tomato sauce. Stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, allowing the sauce to deepen in flavor and thicken slightly. Stir occasionally.
⏱️ 20 min - 5
Parboil the Rice: While the sauce is simmering, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add the rinsed basmati rice and parboil for 5-7 minutes, or until the rice grains are elongated and slightly tender but still firm in the center (al dente).
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Drain the parboiled rice thoroughly using a fine-mesh colander.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Combine Rice and Sauce: Transfer the drained parboiled rice to a large mixing bowl. Add about 3/4 of the cooked tomato-beef sauce to the rice. Gently mix with a large spoon until the rice is evenly coated with the sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for layering.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Assemble and Cook for Tahdig: Pour 1/4 cup of vegetable oil into the bottom of a large, non-stick pot (the same one used for parboiling the rice, if clean, or a fresh one). Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Carefully spread a thin, even layer of plain parboiled rice (about 1 cup) over the bottom of the oiled pot. This will form the tahdig.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Gently spoon the mixed tomato-beef rice on top of the plain rice layer in the pot, forming a mound. Make a few small holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon to allow steam to escape.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel, then place the lid tightly over the towel. This creates a seal and absorbs excess moisture. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes to initiate the tahdig formation.
⏱️ 7 min - 12
Reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook for 35-40 minutes, allowing the rice to steam and the tahdig to become golden and crispy.
⏱️ 40 min - 13
Serve: Once cooked, remove the lid and towel. Place a large serving platter or plate upside down over the top of the pot. Using oven mitts, carefully and quickly invert the pot onto the platter to release the rice, with the crispy tahdig layer now on top. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min