Persian party rice · Sweet and sour
Albaloo Polo Recipe (Persian Sour Cherry Rice)
Cook cherries to syrup. Layer, then streak. Keep it tart.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenAlbaloo polo is jewelled Persian rice streaked pink with sour cherries, served at weddings with saffron chicken or little meatballs. It turns soggy and too sweet when the cherries and their juice go straight into the rice. The fix is cooking the cherries with a little sugar into a thick syrup, layering them in, and spooning the syrup over only at the end.
The 3 laws of albaloo polo
Why this recipe works
Raw cherries
Thin juice soaks the rice.
Mix
Layers give pink streaks and fluffy rice.
Lots of sugar
Sourness is the point.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Cherries
Rice and chicken
The NineFoods cherry gauge
Is the cherry syrup ready?
Lift a spoonful and let it drop.
Method · 4 stages
Step by step
Cherries
- Simmer cherries with sugar. Use the gauge above.
- Strain, reserving syrup.
Parboil
- Boil rice until the core is firm; drain.
Layer and steam
- Butter the pot, layer rice and cherries.
- Steam with a towel lid, then drizzle saffron and syrup.
Serve
- Serve with braised chicken, pistachios and the tahdig.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Thin cherry juice.
Fix next time
Reduce to syrup and strain.
Why
Sweet cherries or extra sugar.
Fix next time
Use sour cherries and less sugar.
Why
Cherries mixed in.
Fix next time
Layer gently instead of stirring.
Why
Overcooked.
Fix next time
Braise thighs gently.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Sour cherries | Main fruit | Dried sour cherries soaked, or cranberries |
| Chicken | Protein | Small meatballs (kufteh ghelgheli) |
| Sugar | Balance | Honey |
| Pistachios | Garnish | Almonds |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Saffron chicken or meatballs, yoghurt and salad.
Store
Fridge 3 days.
Reheat
Covered with a splash of water.
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 4 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 cherry syrup ready) 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
Albaloo Polo FAQ
What is albaloo?
The Persian name for sour cherries.
Can I use sweet cherries?
Yes, with less sugar and a squeeze of lemon.
Can I use jarred cherries?
Yes, drain them and use the jar syrup.
What is albaloo polo served with?
Saffron chicken or small meatballs.