Lately, I've felt homesick. My medication: cooking and consuming as much Iranian food as I can. While I was in Chicago, my mother spoiled me with kuku and eggplant stew, and now I'm working on mastering some recipes on my own.
Here's one for Adasi Pollo, which, while not too time consuming, still requires multi-tasking, as do all good meals.
1 lb. Basmati rice, soaked in water for several hours
20 oz. water
1 T salt
8 oz lentils, soaked in water for several hours
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken, cut up
2 medium onions, sliced
healthy pinch of saffron
6-8 oz. raisins
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
Bring rice, water, and salt to a boil in a medium-large pot. Cover, and cook until semi-soft. Meanwhile, boil lentils with enough water to cover by 1 inch.
Heat oil in pan, and cook chicken and onions until they turn golden brown, stirring to cook onions evenly.
Drain and rinse rice. Return rice to pot and cover with water.
When lentils are just cooked, add to the rice. Add cooked chicken and onions, saffron, raisins, and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until rice and lentils are tender.
Serve with warm pita, and top individual portions of rice with a pat of butter.
Very few meals taste good the next day; this is one of them.
