Persian family rice · One pot
Lubia Polo Recipe (Persian Green Bean Rice)
Dry beef sauce. Layer, do not stir. Crisp the bottom.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenLubia polo is the rice children in Iran ask for: green beans and minced or cubed beef cooked in tomato and cinnamon, then layered with rice and steamed. It goes mushy when the meat sauce is wet. The fix is cooking the bean and beef mix until almost dry, then layering it with parboiled rice and steaming for a crisp bottom.
The 3 laws of lubia polo
Why this recipe works
Saucy mix
Liquid makes the rice soggy.
Stir together
Layers keep grains separate.
Plain
Cinnamon is the signature warmth.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Bean and beef
Rice
The NineFoods mix gauge
Is the bean mix dry enough?
Drag a spoon across the pan.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Bean and beef
- Fry onion, brown beef with spices, add tomato paste.
- Add beans and cook until tender and dry. Use the gauge above.
Parboil
- Boil rice until the core is firm; drain.
Layer and steam
- Butter the pot, layer rice and bean mix, finish with rice.
- Drizzle saffron and butter; steam with a towel lid.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Wet sauce.
Fix next time
Cook the mix until dry.
Why
No saffron or tomato.
Fix next time
Fry tomato paste well and drizzle saffron.
Why
Too little fat or heat.
Fix next time
Butter the base and steam long enough.
Why
Under-spiced.
Fix next time
Use advieh and cinnamon.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | Protein | Lamb or chicken |
| Green beans | Vegetable | Frozen cut beans |
| Advieh | Spice blend | Cinnamon, cardamom and cumin |
| Saffron | Aroma | Turmeric for colour |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Mast-o-khiar or plain yoghurt and salad shirazi.
Store
Fridge 3 days; freezes 2 months.
Reheat
Sprinkle water, cover and warm.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the bean mix dry enough) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Lubia Polo FAQ
What is lubia polo?
Persian rice with green beans and meat in tomato.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes, use lentils or mushrooms instead of meat.
What is advieh?
A Persian spice mix of cinnamon, cardamom, rose and cumin.
Can I cook it in a rice cooker?
Yes, layer it in and use the crust setting.