Gheymeh lapolo takes everything Iranians love about khoresh gheymeh and stirs it into the rice. Lamb, yellow split peas, tomato and dried lime cook down into a thick sauce, then get layered with the rice and steamed together.
It is a little drier than the stew, and a lot easier to serve to a crowd. Crispy potato straws on top are compulsory.
At a glance: serves four to six. About two hours. Medium.
Ingredients
- 400g lamb or beef, in small cubes
- ½ cup yellow split peas, soaked for an hour
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 dried limes (limoo amani), pierced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3 cups basmati rice, soaked for 2 hours
- A pinch of saffron, bloomed in 3 tbsp hot water
- 2 potatoes, cut into thin matchsticks, for frying
- Vegetable oil, salt and black pepper
Method
- Fry the onion, add the turmeric and cinnamon and brown the meat. Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the split peas, dried limes and two cups of water. Season, cover and simmer for about an hour, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick.
- Parboil the rice for six minutes and drain.
- Layer the rice and the gheymeh mixture in an oiled pot, finishing with rice. Cover with a lid wrapped in a tea towel and steam on a low heat for 45 minutes.
- Fry the potato straws until crisp and golden. Pile the rice onto a platter, drizzle with saffron and top with the potatoes.
Keep the split peas whole. Simmer gently. They should be soft but still hold their shape.
Dried limes. Pierce them so the sauce gets inside, and remove them before layering if you prefer a milder flavour.
Gheymeh lapolo is a popular dish for nazri, the food Iranians cook and give away during Muharram.
