Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi Recipe (Herbed Rice With Fish)

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi or Persian herbed rice with fish is one of the foods that Iranians eat for dinner or lunch in Nowruz (or pronounced norooz, norous). Nowruz is the Persian new year, and it is the first day of spring (the third week of March). Persian people celebrate this day with visiting relatives and neighbors, and it is impossible to celebrate without food and pastries. You can make Qottab for Nowruz pastry. Also, you can read more about the Nowruz food tradition.

Probably Sabzi Polo Mahi has not been a tradition because it was hard to find fish in every city. People used to cook food is most prevalent in their family. Some popular Persian foods that you can find in some areas as a Norooz food are Reshteh Polo, Fesenjoon, Ghormeh Sabzi, Dolmeh Barg Mo, and Ash Reshteh.

It is time to learn about Sabzi Polo ingredients and dive into the Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi recipe.

Other Persian seafood:

• Meygoo Polo Recipe; Make Persian Prawn Rice in 7 Steps

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi ingredients

As the name shows, we need a mix of herbs for our food. Parsley, dill, Tareh (chives/scallion), and cilantro are herbs we need. It is better to use them fresh and chopped. But if you can not find them, use them dry. If you are a fan of mixed herb with rice, there is another Persian food called Baghali Polo.

Also, we need fish for our food. You can use any type of fish like tilapia, salmon, whitefish, halibut, trout, and so on. Likewise, it is possible to fry or grill the fish, and it is up to you. After all, bring the ingredients in the list below to cook our sabzi polo Mahi norooz.

Sabzi Polo ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh dill
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup chopped fresh Tareh (chives/scallion)
• ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
• 2 tablespoons salt

Fried fish ingredients

• 4 pieces whitefish fillets
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ tablespoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon salt

Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi recipe

First, we will cook Sabzi polo, and while the herbed rice is steaming, we will fry the fish. It is the best scheduling

and we can serve our food warm.

Sabzi Polo Recipe

1. Wash 2 cups of Basmati rice several times till making its water clear.
2. Pour water on the rice. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and let it soak for at least an hour. The more it soaks, it will be fluffier.
3. After soaking, drain the rice.
4. Bring a pot with 5 cups of water. Heat it till boiling.
5. Pour soaked rice into the boiling water.
6. Let the rice boil on medium heat till rice grains come up.
7. Add mixed chopped herbs to the pot. Stir it once gently.
8. After 3 minutes, pour the rice and herbs into a colander. Splash some cold water on them.
9. Heat a pot. Pour 4 tablespoons of oil.
10. Choose your Tahdig. If you want flatbread Tahdig, place a Lavash bread. Alternatively, you can have rice Tahdig. For rice Tahdig, pour 2 tablespoons of bloomed saffron.
11. Pour the rice and herb mixture into the pot like a pyramid and pour bloomed saffron on the rice.
12. Make 2 or 3 holes with the bottom of the fork in the rice. Pour ¼ cup of water and 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil (butter is another alternative).
13. Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel. Cover the pan.
14. Heat for 5 minutes with medium heat and 40 minutes with low heat to steam the rice.
15. Our delicious Sabzi Polo is ready!

Fried fish recipe

1. It is better to use fresh fish. But if it is frozen, defrost it by putting it in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Before seasoning, salt them with ½ tablespoon salt.
3. Mix 2 tablespoons flour, ½ tablespoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon ground pepper.
4. Coat fish fillets with spices.
5. Bring a pan with 8 tablespoons oil (if it is not enough, add more). Heat the oil.
6. When the oil is hot, place the fillets in the pan. If your fish piece has skin, put it on the skinless side.
7. When it turns slightly brown, turn it to another side and fry it too.
8. I suggest you use a splatter screen to avoid splashing grease.
9. Our delicious fried fish is ready!

How to serve Sabzi Polo Mahi?

Mix rice and herbs gently—Transfer Sabzi Polo with a skimmer to a platter. Put fish pieces beside the rice. Do not forget to divide Tahdig into equal parts for all.

You can garnish your rice with making golden rice by mixing bloomed saffron and rice. Serve Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi with Torshi seer (garlic pickled), Salad Shirazi, and a squeeze of Seville orange or lemon. Kuku sabzi is the best appetizer with Sabzi Polo, and do not miss it!

I hope you enjoyed this Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi recipe, and I am excited to read about your experiences with it. So do not forget to write about it in the comments!

I wish you a great year. Happy Nowruz!