Kalam Ghomri Polo Shirazi - Persian Kohlrabi Rice
Kalam Polo Shirazi is a popular dish from Shiraz. A delightful Iranian dish that combines the earthy taste of Kolhrabi with aromatic spices and herbs.
Shiraz is a historic and culturally significant city located in the southwest of Iran. It is the capital of the Fars Province and one of the country's most famous cities. Shiraz is known for its rich history, poetic heritage, beautiful gardens, and vibrant culture. Its blend of history, culture, and natural beauty makes it a must-visit destination for those interested in exploring the rich heritage of Iran. It is a city that beautifully showcases the depth and diversity of Persian culture.
The Shiraz grape variety has a history in Iran dating back thousands of years. It's believed to have originated in the region that is now modern-day Iran. Ancient Persian winemaking techniques and viticulture are well-documented, with references to wine in Persian literature and historical records.
Note: Don’t confuse this dish with the other Persian Kalam Polo which is made with white cabbage and comes from Tehran, Iran’s capital. Here’s the recipe.
Here is a short video of the cooking process on my Instagram.
Cook the most popular Persian dishes at home with the help of my e-book.
Time
Prep: 30 min Cook: 2 h Total: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients (serving 4)
2 cups / 400g basmati rice
3 kohlrabi / 5 cups / 600g batonnet (small stick) cut size
1 onion, finely sliced
1 1/2 cups / 100g basil, finely chopped
1/2 cup / 10g dried or 50g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1/2 cup / 15g dried or 60g fresh dill, finely chopped
7 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp ghee or butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground saffron, bloomed
3 ice cubes to bloom the saffron (alternatively you can use a few tbsp hot water)
2 tbsp salt
For meatballs
500g / 1.1lbs mince or ground beef
1 small onion, peeled and grated
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground garlic
Method for cooking Kalam Polo Shirazi
Batonnet cut the kohlrabi
To cut kohlrabi into batonnet shapes, follow these steps:
Instructions:
Prepare the Kohlrabi: Start by peeling the kohlrabi. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin, revealing the crisp, pale flesh beneath.
Cut off the Ends: Trim off both ends of the kohlrabi to create a flat base.
Cut into Planks: Slice the kohlrabi into thin, even planks. Aim for a thickness of around 1/4 inch (0.6 cm).
Stack the Planks: After you've created the planks, stack a few of them on top of each other.
Cut into Batonnets: Slice through the stacked planks to create thin strips that resemble matchsticks or batonnets. Try to make them as uniform in size as possible for even cooking.
Repeat: Continue cutting the rest of the kohlrabi into batonnets, working in batches if necessary.
Prep the other ingredients
Sprinkle the ground saffron over the ice cubes and set it aside for later.
Finely chop the fresh herbs if you are using any.
Peel and slice the onion.
Marinate the meat
Skin off the onion for the meat and grate it into a large bowl. Discard half of the onion juice.
Transfer the ground beef to the bowl, add the chickpea flour, turmeric, black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, ground garlic, and 1 tsp of salt.
Knead all the ingredients until they are well combined and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the ground meat.
Cover the bowl with a lid or a plate and put it in the fridge while you prepare the kohlrabi and rice so that the meat can firm a little before shaping the meatballs.
Sauté and combine the ingredients
You can either fry or blanch the kohlrabi. Blanching takes much less time.
Blanch
In a pot of boiling water, blanch the kohlrabi batonnets for about 3-4 minutes or until they are slightly tender. Drain the water. Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 3 tsp of saffron water. Stir and set it aside.
Fry
Place a pan over medium heat. Add the kohlrabi to it and let it soften for about 10 minutes. Stir regularly.
After about 15 minutes add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil and fry the kohlrabi for 3 more minutes, continuing to stir regularly.
Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 3 tsp of saffron water. Stir and set it aside.
Parboil the rice
Bring a pot full of water to a boil. Let 2 tbsp of salt dissolve in it. Parboil the rice so that it’s soft on the outside but uncooked in the center (al dente so to speak). This can take anything from 3 to 7 minutes. I use Tilda Basmati rice and parboil it for 5 minutes.
Drain the rice in a colander and rinse it with cool water to interrupt the cooking process and wash off any excess salt. Let any water drain away.
Let the Kalam Polo Shirazi steam
Add 4 tbsp of veg oil to a nonstick pot for making Tahdig. I used white cabbage leaves for making the Tahdig. Layer the rice and ingredients:
layer the ingredients as follows:
A layer of rice
A layer of kohlrabi batonnets (you can keep some for garnish)
A layer of mixed fresh or dried herbs (basil, dill and tarragon)
Once you see steam rising from the rice, cover the lid with a clean kitchen towel, close it firmly, and reduce the heat to low. Let the Kalam Polo steam and the flavors meld over low heat for 45 to 50 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your tahdig.
Caramelize onion for garnish
Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of ghee or butter to it. Gently caramelize the sliced onions for about 10 to 15 minutes until they are golden brown. Add a few tsp of saffron water to them and combine well. Transfer the caramelized onions to a bowl and set them aside for garnish.
Fry the meatballs
Remove the ground meat from the fridge and thinly oil a plate with some vegetable oil. This will prevent the meatballs from sticking to it, so you can let them slide into the pan.
Take a small amount of ground meat and shape a small ball by rolling it with both palms facing each other.
Transfer about 5 tbsp vegetable oil to a frying pan and put it over medium to high heat. If your frying pan is too small to fit all the meatballs and allow them to come in contact with the hot oil, divide them into two batches and use half the vegetable oil for each batch.
Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan and distribute them evenly. You don’t need to turn them individually. Gently shake the pan or give them a quick stir every 30 seconds to a minute or so, until they are golden brown all around. The whole process of searing them only takes about 5 to 8 minutes. Take them off the heat and transfer them to a bowl or plate.
Serve your delicious Kalam Polo
Once the Kalam Polo is cooked, replace the lid with a plate, and flip the pot, protecting your hands with oven gloves. Remove the tahdig and combine about one-quarter of the rice with the now-melted saffron ice cubes until it is evenly yellow.
On your serving plate add the white rice followed by the saffron rice, fried kohlrabi, caramelized onions, and meatballs.
Serve it with Salad Shirazi, pickles, or plain yoghurt. Enjoy your delicious Kalam Polo!
I’d love to see your Kalam Polo Shirazi! Feel free to tag me with @igotitfrommymaman on Facebook or Instagram so I can take a look and give you a thumbs up!
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