maash Saffron rice Recipe is an Iranian mung bean rice, or mash polo, finished with saffron, golden onion and warmly spiced ground meat. Cooking the rice, mung beans and meat separately keeps every element distinct before they are brought together.
Maash Saffron Rice (Mash Polo)
This small recipe makes two generous portions. Mung beans soften faster than many dried pulses, so watch them closely: they should be tender enough to eat but still hold their shape. That is what gives the finished rice its pleasant contrast instead of turning it pasty.
Preparation: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours for soaking
Cooking: about 45 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried mung beans, picked over and rinsed
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 200–250 g ground beef or lamb
- 1 medium onion, grated
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons strong brewed saffron
- 2 tablespoons golden fried onion, well drained
- Salt, black pepper and ground turmeric, to taste
- 2 cups water for the rice, plus enough to cook the mung beans and 1/2 cup for the meat
A concentrated infusion gives the rice colour and aroma without making it wet. If you need the method, follow our guide to brewing saffron.
Cook the Mung Beans
Put the rinsed mung beans in a small saucepan and cover them generously with water. Add a pinch of turmeric and simmer gently until tender but not split, usually 20–30 minutes depending on their age.
Add salt near the end. If only a little water remains, let it evaporate; otherwise drain the beans well. Set them aside while you prepare the rice and meat.
Make the Rice
Rinse the basmati until the water runs mostly clear, then soak it in lightly salted water for 2 hours. Drain.
Put the rice in a heavy saucepan with 2 cups of fresh water, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a sensible pinch of salt. Bring it to a gentle boil. Stir once or twice, carefully, while the water is being absorbed.
When there is no free water on the surface, cover the pan with a clean tea towel under the lid, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and steam for 20–25 minutes. A rice cooker on its regular white-rice setting also works for this absorption-style method.
Cook the Spiced Meat
Warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the grated onion and cook until its excess moisture has evaporated. Stir in the garlic, then add the ground meat, a little turmeric, black pepper and salt.
Break the meat into small pieces and cook until no pink remains. Pour in 1/2 cup water, lower the heat and simmer until the meat is fully cooked and the liquid has evaporated. If checking with a food thermometer, ground beef or lamb should reach 71°C/160°F, in line with the US food-safety temperature chart.
Finish the Maash Saffron Rice
Transfer a few spoonfuls of the cooked rice to a bowl and fold in the brewed saffron until evenly golden.
For a layered serving, spoon half the plain rice onto a platter, scatter over half the mung beans, meat and fried onion, then repeat. Finish with the saffron rice on top. For a more even mixture, fold the beans and meat gently through the rice first, keeping your movements light so the grains and mung beans do not break.
Taste for seasoning and serve promptly. A crisp cucumber-and-herb salad or plain yoghurt makes a fresh companion to the warm saffron, onion and turmeric flavours.
