Khoresht_e Chaghaleh badam/ Fresh green Almonds stew

Almonds and green? yes you heard it right  fresh almonds are green and very yummy, most people think almonds come in hard wooden shells but the delicious fact is before they get to be hard  and brownish  they are green  and soft. In Iran  these fresh green almonds are known as " chaghaleh badam ".   Iranians look forward to eat chaghaleh badam to the start of the spring, chaghaleh badam  last only for a few weeks  and then they start to get hardened . we soak them in the water for about a few hours and rub any excess white fur from  their skin. Green almonds have  tartness and they are very crunchy.

ingredients:

(8 servings)

750 gr  lamb meet

500 gr chaghaleh badam  or green almonds

3 cups fine chopped  parsley and mint leaves

1 cup fried onions

salt and black pepper  to taste

 1/2 teaspoon turmeric ( optional)

 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice

 oil

water

Direction

cut the meat in  one inch  cubes,  fry meat cubes in  1 table spoon  vegtable oil in a  cooking pan until its color changes, add fried onions and 3 cups of water, cover the pan and cook  the meat,  meanwhile  remove the stem of fresh almonds  stir fry them for a few minute, add chopped  parsley and mint  to the frying  almonds, stir them for a short while  until vegetables lose water,  then remove from the heat and set it aside,

when the meat is half cooked  add the  vegetables  and raw green almonds  ( chaghaleh) to meat.. add a pinch of salt and pepper, cook for 1 hour or until the chaghaleh and meat both are done,  add lemon juice and remove from the heat,

we serve this khoresht with  rice .. nooshe jaan!!!

Ash-e Dugh or Ayran Ashi, Yogurt Soup

A popular Ash/soup from Azari provinces of Iran, cooked with yogurt and a lot of fresh vegtables, it is very nutritious and refreshing, If you ever got a chance to travel  to north west of Iran to uromiyah or Ardabil, you would see locals selling  " Ayran Ashi/ yogurt soup"  served in  small bowls  in the streets, parks, beach and mountain hills, there are different recipes to cook this soup but all versiosn from different cities have common  ingredients, yogurt, water  and  herbs. some people add garlic , liver  and even chicken  broth , some people don't like chick peas so they omit chick peas but somehow  I  have had my own version, which is very simple but  with hot chillies which can open your sinus, as a matter of fact nothing  like a handful of hot green chilies can  clear your sinus!
Although if you can't tolerate hot ones you can only add some bell peppers, or not too hot peppers,

   I N G R E D I E N TS:
½ cup dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight or you can have canned  ones..drained
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or beetroot leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh green garlic (if in season; leaves only) (this is optional for this recipe)
1 cup chinese celery ( only leaves)
1 cup parsley
4 cups plian yogurt  ( yogurt should not be sweet nor  sour that much)


1 tablespoon  flour
1 egg
1/3 cup medium-grain rice, soaked in water an hour before cooking
Salt, to taste
 4 cups water, you can adjust  water amount depending on your own  taste if you like think soup or thick and creamy type)
1 or 2 green chili peppers

D I R E C T I O N:

put pre soaked chick peas in a small saucepan filled with water and boil until the chickpeas are soft, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside!

steam cook washed and fresh herbs for about 5 minutes,

 In a proper and large sauce pan whisk  egg, yogurt, water all together, beat them thoroughly to get a desirable consistency,

dissolve flour in 2 table spoons water and add to the yogurt  mixture, whisk for a few minutes,
Add rinsed   rice, chop the heads of  green chilies add them to the pan, place over the heat, stir it constantly with a wooden spoon,don't give up at all,

bring it to a boil as you are stirring , reduce the heat and as you let it simmer, add herbs and cooked chick peas,

if you feel it s too thick you can add some  hot or boiled water,

you can have it cold or hot, but I need to remind you this soup  gets thickened as it stands, but I only love  hot one or at least warm,

Nushe jaan, Nush olsun! enjoy

Chicken and Green string beans

Red, green, yellow, this Food is really colorful dish, simple easy and very tasty ,  you can find sour and hot tastes , both in one! I love string beans so I sometimes add them to the meat or chicken! In addition to  their lovely tastes, green beans  have a lot of benefits, they are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates fiber and complex carbohydrates, Folic acid and molybdenum, the major health benefit of green beans   is their ability to lower the cholesterol  and consequently blood pressure  due to their  rich source of fiber, moreover  they prevents rapidly rising  sugar in blood after a meal!


I N G R E D I E N T S: 4 serving

500 gr  chicken fillet
750 gr  string green beans
500 gr  tomatoes
3 medium onions
cooking oil
salt and pepper
2 green chilies
 1/4 cup verijuice/ if you don't have verijuice  you can add one table spoon of fresh lime juice,

D I R E C T I O N:
Peel and thinly slice onions, then fry in oil until slightly golden.


Wash and cut chicken fillets  into small pieces and fry in onions until color changes, dice tomatoes and add them into the pan with  green chilies, let the tomatoes release their water , add verijuice ( if you  want to add lime juice  you better add it at the final stage of cooking before adding  the beans ) and a glass of water,  cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender ,

While chicken is cooking, wash green beans, cut the ends and chop into 2-3 cm pieces, you can steam cook  green beans or boil them , I sometimes prefer to add one tsp of turmeric to the beans ,
Add beans, salt, pepper

drain the cooked beans and add them to the cooked chicken, cook for another 3 or 4 minutes,
The khoresht is ready!
Nooshe jaan!

Khoresht- e Qeimeh, or Gheimeh, split peas and meat stew

This is one of the special dishes amongst Iranians, Many Iranians have  special feelings for this khoresht because it is one of the most  wanted nazri foods during religious  ceremonies,nazri is traditional Muslim Iranian culture which is mostly referred to making food and distributing it amongst people specifically needy ones,generally Nazr  is a promise to fulfill when someone asks God to help to solve problems or Asking God for something , Most people promise to make foods and distribute it Many Iranians carry it out  multiple times per year around major religious events and holidays, Khoresht gheimeh is easy and delicious, hence on the top list of nazri Foods. 
 Gheigmeh or Qeimah, is tiny cut pieces of  stewing meat lamb or beef, (Goosht-e Gheimeh) ...... Goosht means meat! once is served you may fall in love with its peculiar aroma of dried  lime - Limoo amani- and  matchstick thin potato chips on top of the stew !


I N G R E D I E N T S: (for 4 )

450 gr stewing meat (lamb chops or beef)
1 large onion
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 dried limes  
2 potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp saffron
1tbsp rose water
2 handfuls of split  peas
2 tbs oil


D I R E C T I O N:


Trim , wash and chop stewing meat in small cubes,
Chop the onions and saute in 1 tablespoon oil until golden, 
add meat to onions and fry until the meat color changes  all over,add turmeric and nutmeg, salt and pepper

  Add water to cover the meat and cook for about 45 minutes, ,meanwhile cook split peas separately but remove them from the heat  half cooked, to better digestion of split peas you should soak them in water a few hours a head of cooking, 
Drain half cooked split peas and add them in a frying pan and add tomato paste, cinnamon and nutmeg, stir fry for a few minutes,  cut dried limes in half and remove seeds carefully, add them to the pan,

  Add the split peas mixture to the meat and cover the mixture with enough amount of water, sprinkle  in saffron powder,
cover the pan and  simmer for 40 minutes or until   meat is tender and split peas are soft, but don't overcook  the stew , add rose water before removing from the heat( after adding rose water  simmer 2 minutes more)

 about 10 minutes before serving the food, peel the potato, and cut in matchstick thin length wise and make fried potato chips,

add chips on the top of the stew before serving, 

Serve with plain rice, 

I hope you enjoy it!

Koofteh Tabrizi, Tabrizi Meatball

Is there a smell of any food that always brings back a nostalgic memory?

I would say yes!  Koofteh is  one of the dearest dishes to me ,  not because of the  delicious smell but it  reminds me of delightful  memories of the past and my Mom,  My Mom used to cook it in the  most of family gatherings and parties on special occasions like Eid days.

The following recipe of a joyful and edible   Koofteh is one of those dishes, nobody in the family or relatives could compete with her appetizing foods, especially with her aromatic flavorful Koofteh Tabrizi, So  here I am sharing  the memory of My mother’s tasty hands which can’t be replaced  by no one for me!

Ingredients:

500 gr meat (lamb or beef…I prefer to use half lamb and half beef)

¾ cup split peas

¾ cup rice ( short grain rice is better)

2 eggs or one large egg

4 large onions

1/2 cup  chopped Persian leek

1/3 cup chopped parsley 
1/3 cup chopped cilantro 

1 table spoon dried summer savory  leaves  (marzeh in Farsi)

16  dried prunes

200 gr dried sour cherries ( or barberries)

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 teaspoons turmeric

1 tea spoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
spoonful of flour or chickpeas flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 kg tomato
1 or 2 green chilies it depends on your taste, and if you like hot sauce 
1/4 cup verjuice  ...verjuice or Abghooreh  is unripe grape juice  which is sour

Water

Direction

Soak  split peas 2 hours a head 

Cook split peas until tender, scoop out the foam formed on the surface,( I prefer to drain them after bringing the water to a boil )

Cook rice until just tender  ( add  1/2 tea spoon  of turmeric to it )

 

Cook Rice until  just tender ( add 1/2 tea spoon of turmeric)

meanwhile prepare the sauce in a large pot.

saute 2 diced onions in 2 table spoons oil until golden, dice or process tomatoes in food processor, add them to fried onions, add one or 2 green chillies if you like hot sauce,  fry it for 10 minutes over a medium heat,  stir it occasionally, add 1 tsp turmeric,.....

 Then Add enough water like 3 or 4 glasses and 1/4 cup verjuice or Abghooreh, simmer over the low heat

process cooked split peas in the food processor to mash,  do the same thing with the rice , combine ground meat, mashed rice and  split peas,1 tea spoon of turmeric,1/4 tea spoon chili powder, grate 2 onions or you can   process onions in food processor or you can mince  onions, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 table spoons savory/Marzeh, 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley, 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 cup finely chopped Persian leek,

Add eggs or a large egg and flour may be one or 2  table spoons but you may even need more , Kneed the mixture until to get a  dough consistency,

place a handful of the mixture in your palm  and make a well, place prunes and dried sour cherries or whatever stuffing you like, My mom used to stuff koofteh with hard boiled eggs, walnuts and fried onions and other things, so you can add other stuffing ingredients of your own choice,

If you use complete prunes not  pitted ones, warn the others about the pits to save their teeth otherwise you will need to pay for their dental  expenses!!!!

then go around the edges and seal the meat ball, I make them as size as a large fist, Play with the meat ball to shape a round ball.

you can use cloth something like cheese cloth if you want to make a perfect  gigantic meat ball!

add more water to the simmering tomato sauce season with a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, add the meat balls to the boiling sauce, cover  and simmer for an hour or until cooked,

after an hour or so your food is ready, it seems like a mission impossible but no  I know that it s possible! 

Enjoy your meal!

TIP: turkey meat  can be used as  alternative for the red meat used in this dish, 

Khoresh karafs, Celery with meat Stew

This Stew(Khoresh) is one of the popular dishes, easy but tasty, one of those kinds which can be made by every lazy single person who is not  bothered even with boiling an egg!!! what makes this food everyone's first choice is its humble ingredients like celery parsely and beef or stewing lamb and its aromatic flavor along with some sour notes,
you can cook it next time or even now for your supper table or lunch!

Ingredients : served for 4

2 large onions (peeled thinly sliced)
450 gr meat ( stewing meat , I prefer lamb) cut in 1 inch cubes
1 head ofcelery (wash teh celery wall  and cut in lengthwise ,This is about the length of an index finger)
3 cups fresh finely chopped parsely 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped
2 table spoons  dried mint
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons  oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric

Direction

Brown onion with meat in one table spoon of oil
Add turmeric and nutmeg and 2 glasses of water , cover and let it simmer for 40 minutes
in a nonstick frying pan, fry the  chopped celery in 3 tabelspoons of oil for 10 minutes, add chopped herbs and stir fry it for 10 minutes longer, add dried mint  leaves  and stir it for 2 minutes more, then remove from the heat, add mixture of celery  to the meat , at this stage you can add salt ( if you add salt at the begining of cooking meat, meat will be hardened and it takes along time to be tender)
cover  and simmer over the low heat for about  an hour or so  or until  the meat and celery are tender and soft , after an hour add lime juice , simmer  for 5 minutes longer, taste teh stew before serving  and adjust the seasoning according to your taste,
Serve the stew with rice!
Nooshe jaan!

PS: I forgot to take pictures from cooking process!

Khoresh Qurmeh Sabzi( Ghormeh sabzi, vegetable and meat Stew)

A: " what is your favorite dish?"

Iranian: " Qurmeh sabzi!!!"

 yes, we Iranians love Qurmeh sabzi,  you may not like Qurmeh sabzi when you eat it for the first time but  I promise you  that  you will  be hooked to it  after the second try. Qurmeh sabzi  is one of those  appetizing dishes,  this stew is a hit for Iranians and miss with non Iranians.  most of non Iranians  don't know much about  this very popular stew. I don't want to exaggerate because some people can hate it , but as far as I know people simply love it. The stew  comes with rice, actually Iranians eat all kind of stews over Rice.

Ingredients: 

2 medium onions .....diced finely 

1 teaspoon  turmeric 

450 gr  meat ( stewing meat or lamb chops)

1/3 cup kidney beans 

3 cups fresh parsley (finely chopped )

2 cups cilantro (finely chopped )

1cup fenugreek (finely chopped )

1cup chives (finely chopped)  or persian leek

1/2 cup spinach( finely chopped)

salt and pepper   for taste

5 dried persian limes ( limoo amani)....I like sour taste  so I usually add more dried lime)

Direction

 Soak beans over night, next day  half cook beans separately,  when I want to cook  beans I usually boil  it for a few minutes, and drain the water , I repeat it twice , this way  beans do not make the stew color  darker or reddish brown  and most important  it prevents  blowing gas!!!! LOL

Dice onions finely , saute onion in oil until translucent, add meat (cut meat in 2cm cubes or use lamb chops)

add turmeric  and stir well , allow  meat to become brown  all sides.

 Add turmeric and , season with pepper (just a pinch of black  pepper) , add 3 glasses of water and cover it and cook it for about an hour, some people add  dried limes and salt too,  but I prefer to not add salt and lime at this stage because it will longer the time of cooking, as salt and sour stuff would harden the meat)

In the meantime break the dried limes into  halves and removes seeds completely, remember  that seeds would give your stew  bitter taste so you rather remove them  completely . (you can see the cleaned and broken  limes in above picture), fry finely chopped  vegetables  in  2 tablespoons oil  or 1  ..depends on your diet,  until its water evaporates and u smell the aroma , don't over fry it  at all,

Add half cooked beans  fried vegetables and dried limes to the meat  , add salt just to taste , add 2 cups water and cover it  and cook it  for 2 more hours.(or 1.30 hours)

Take the first munch and  your eyes will be widened in delight !!!!!!!!! Nooshe jaan

Khoresh Aloo... (prune and chicken stew )

It has been a  while since I've posted  a recipe! I have been  buried   in a bunch of  things but  here I am  with a new chicken recipe and  pitted prune. I just wanted to make a delicious comeback!!

ingredients

chicken 1 kg

pitted prunes  400 gr

2 onions 

Saffron  1/2 teaspoon

turmeric 1/2 teaspoon

oil of your own choice  2 table spoons

4   carrots

 fresh lime or lemon juice 2 table spoon

lemon zest 1 teaspoon ( you can use orange zest   or orange peels)

water 2 glasses

salt and pepper to taste

Direction

wash and soak dried pitted prunes  for about an hour,  peel and slice onions fry in   one table spoon oil until golden and soft. Add chicken and stir-fry it until chicken color changes,  add lemon zest or peels, turmeric and  a pinch of salt and black pepper, they give   such a lovely flavor to your food,  add  enough water and cook  over the medium heat for about 15 minutes,  meanwhile  cut  carrots  lengthwise into 2 inches length and  add them into a frying pan with a table spoon of oil and a table spoon of water  and cook for about 5 minutes or until  its juice/water  is gone , I think this way is better  than frying  carrots  and set it aside, after 15 minutes, add prunes and fresh lemon juice into chicken , let it simmer for 10 minutes, bring   a cup of water into a boil,steep saffron in a boiling water and cover the cup for  2 minutes, then add saffron water into the  food, , finally add carrots  and let it simmer for another 5 minutes, after that  our Khoresh is ready to be served with  rice . Nooshe Jaan!

Khoresh Fesenjaan, chicken in walnut and pomegranate paste

walnut and pomegranate combination is one of  my favorites, but I can't take the  credit of uniting these two yummy tastes, older generation of Iran is responsible for this  tasty attack,   not only tasty but healthy!
genius   right? genius and perfectly done!  I am sure once you eat it you will be hooked, this food is so try-worthy ,
lets get started!


Khoresh fesenjaan:


ingredients:
1 cup walnut   finely chopped/ground or minced


1/2-1 cup pomegranate paste dissolved in water....or  2 -3 cups pomegranate juice 9if pomegranate paste is not available)
600 gr boneless chicken ...


water and chicken stock (3  large cups)
2  medium onions  finely chopped
1/2 tea spoon cinnamon ....optional
2 table spoon    oil  of your own choice  .... I prefer walnut oil ..or  grape seed oil
salt to taste


direction:
 1- fry chopped onions in  2 table spoon oil  for about 4 mins only to tender them , add chicken pieces and fry them until they change the color 
2- grind walnuts, some people  mince walnuts finely  but I prefer to have crunchy texture for this stew, add the grounded walnuts into the pan and stir the mixture of chicken onion and walnut for a while up to grounded walnuts release its fragrance just like toasting them . do not burn the walnuts while frying the mixture, 
3- add a cup of water into the pan and let it simmer covered  over the  medium/low heat , after 15-20 mins add another cup of water or stock, let it simmer for another 20 mins,  I add water to the mixture gradually  to help walnuts to release its oil, 
4-after 20  mins add pomegranate juice or its paste and let it simmer for  20 mins   you should remember to stir it occasionally ,you can add salt ,  a table spoon of sugar and  cinnamon to taste as per your choice, I prefer to have sour  taste  in fesenjan without cinnamon and sugar, the mixture should not be too thick or thin , when it is ready, serve it with plain rice,

Enjoy fesenjaan !

Zereshk polo.. Barberry pilaf

This pilaf looks really elegant and mouth watering,  t is served in most ceremonies either  wedding parties , funerals  or family gatherings, I like barberry   a lot, it s grown in  northeast of Iran  in  southern Khorasan  province, the land of saffron and barberry...Iranian barberry is seedless and the best in the world  therefore it s the best choice to dry and use it for  cooking as an additive. 

servings:  4 

ingredients:

 3 cups  long grain  rice 

2 table spoons butter....3 table spoons  vegetable oil

1 cup dried barberry

2 table spoons grated orange zest

500-750 gr  chicken .or.. u can use legs and chicken breast..I usually  halve chicken breast.. for example 2 legs and  2 halved chicken breasts.

1 large onion peeled, sliced in circles, 

2 table spoons  orange zest

ground black pepper and salt

2 table spoons  pistachio flakes

 water

  1 tea spoon      saffron

2 table spoon tomato paste 

a pinch of cinnamon 

1 or 2 table spoons  lime juice ....based on your own taste if  you like sour taste or semi sour)

  Direction

  

TIP :

if you are using Iranian long grain rice.. .soak it at least  2-4 hours AHEAD.  .. 4 hours timing or even more  is very  ideal... for any type of rice:  first wash it by running warm water  until  draining water becomes clear , after washing   rice , soak it in  a bowl of salty water..for Iranian rice  add 3 tablespoons  of salt to the water and let it soak for  2-4 hours ... using less salt for soaking Basmati rice would have a better result...(soaking time for Basmati rice: 1 hour  

1- In a heavy sauce pan or pot  bring  9 cups of water to a boil , drain the soaked rice  and add  it to the boiling water... reduce the heat to the medium heat to stop boiling ...

TIP:
 you can add a table spoon of white vinegar to the boiling water , this will preserve the white and pearly color of the rice.

drain the rice after 7 mins( for basmati ) 4 mins for iranian rice.....this part is very important  because you should watch the rice carefully to not
over cook it, the rice grains should be  half cooked or barely cooked NOT FULLY cooked. try one or two grains to see if it is ready.

try and test the rice to see if it is salty or not, if it s salty stream water over the drained rice , don't rinse rice thoroughly...just that  much to dissolve the extra salt

rinse the sauce pan or pot  you  parboiled rice,add 1 table spoon of canola oil or butter in the pan and arrange the already  peeled and sliced potatoes on the bottom of the pot,
then  place  the parboiled rice over the potato slices....mound it  to form a pyramid...and  pour1 table spoon melted butter  plus 1 or 2 table spoons vegetable oil. over the rice. wrap the pan's lid with a clean towel  and cover the pan with the lid to absorb  steam.

2-while the rice is cooking  prepare  chicken ..you can cook chicken in  the oven  or in a pan over the  medium heat ...add chicken, 1 table spoon oil of your own choice  it can be olive oil ,canola oil , grape seed oil or even butter.. sliced  onions,  a pinch of salt, black pepper  , cinnamon  .. to make a tomato paste sauce :   dissolve  saffron powder in small cup of  boiling water , cover the  cup with a suitable lid  and set it aside, then dissolve  2 table spoons of tomato paste in a cup of water, add lime juice and 1 table spoon of prepared saffron  to the sauce.. pour the sauce over the chicken,  cover the pan with  aluminum foil and cook it in the oven until chicken is cooked through......

3- wash  dried barberries, heat a table spoon of  veg oil or  butter over medium heat in a  suitable frying pan , add dried barberries plus  one table spoon of finely ground white sugar and pistachio flakes   in to a pan,  stir-fry  for about 2 mins only , 

4- in a small sauce pan bring water to a boil...add orange zest to the boiling water . reduce the heat  and let it simmer for 2 or 3 mins ..drain them  and repeat the procedure again until orange zests taste sweet  ... this will  sweeten the zest...I prefer to stir fry them too for a min.  as well.

when ready to serve, take 2 spatulas full of rice and gently fold  in  prepared barberries , pistachio flakes and  saffron  

 place a layer of white  rice on the large serving platter, and spread the mixture of  barberry and saffroned  rice over the white rice ..finally sprinkle orange zests over the rice.... then  serve it with chicken .... enjoy!

Loobiya Polow( pilaf), fresh green bean pilaf

Pilaf  is always queen of all dishes  for all Iranians, we have numbers of different pilafs from different regions of Iran, from north of Iran where they grow the best rice  in the whole world...(.believe me I am not boasting it, Iranian rice has got special aroma which you can never find in any other type of basmati  rice, ) to south of Iran , I am sure you have heard of chelo kabab...now what is chelo ? is pilaf and chelo the same or they are different?
surely they are different cuisines, chelo is steamed plain rice   served with different types of stew(khuresh) or kebabs..
Pilaf or polow...is steamed rice mixed with additions such  as vegetables seasoned  in various type of broth or meat.  The addition is cooked and prepared   separately than rice. .and it is added to the rice layer by layer..to be steamed  with rice in the same pot...
Here you can find one of my favorites :

ingredients:

500 gr    rice ( long grain rice.....you can find imported Iranian rice  or use  Basmati  rice)

 400 gr ground  beef or lamb I  prefer lamb)

1 large or 2 medium onions ....finely chopped or  I  minced it to mix with  meat

500  gr  fresh  green beans......cut into small pieces ...as you see in the picture(1 cm pieces)

2 teaspoons  turmeric
1 teaspoon  Cinnamon
1 tea spoon  edible rose petals (it s better to powder dried petals)/ if you don't have dried petal rose you can use Iranian rose water, note that  rose water is different than  rose essence..... never use  its essence

dried edible rose petal

salt to taste ..I advise you to watch your salt intake....it should be only 4 grams daily....or even less than it
4 table spoons tomato paste
 1 table spoon   flour
 1 tea spoon black pepper..
a pinch of ground nutmeg
oil .and butter .. I think  the amount of  oil we use in  cooking   is optional and depends on our diet.
 1 large potato  peeled and sliced

direction:

  if you are using Iranian long grain rice.. .soak it at least  2-4 hours AHEAD.  .. 4 hours timing or even more  is very  ideal... for any type of rice:  first wash it by running warm water  until  draining water becomes clear , after washing  soak it in  a bowl of salty water..for Iranian rice  add 3 tablespoons  of salt to the water and let it soak for  2-4 hours ... using less salt for soaking Basmati rice would have a better result...(soaking time for Basmati rice: 1 hour 
..................................................................................................................................................................
 cook or steam- cook green beans  after cutting them  into small pieces ...don't over cook them..
  meanwhile mix ground beef or lamb with finely chopped onion, 1 table spoon of flour, black pepper and nutmeg..add a pinch of salt to taste....knead the mixture well ..then make a small meatballs

3- spray oil onto a large sauce pan and brown  the meatballs..

add the cooked beans into the meat...and fry  for about 5mins..

 add turmeric, cinnamon , dried petal rose  powder and tomato paste ...stir the mixture for about 2 mins
... then add a glass of water  and simmer  the mixture for about 15 minutes over the medium heat 
TIP:
rose water should  be added into the  mixture in the last minutes of cooking the meat and beans mixture to preserve its aroma .(substitution for edible rose petals)

meanwhile,  in a heavy sauce pan or pot  bring  9-10 cups of water to a boil , drain the soaked rice  and add  it to the boiling water... reduce the heat to the medium heat to stop boiling ...

TIP:
 you can add a table spoon of white vinegar to the boiling water , this will preserve the white and pearly color of the rice.

drain the rice after 7 mins( for basmati ) 4 mins for iranian rice.....this part is very important  because you should watch the rice carefully to not
over cook it, the rice grains should be  half cooked or barely cooked NOT FULLY cooked. try one or two grains to see if it is ready.

try and test the rice to see if it is salty or not, if it s salty stream water over the drained rice , don't rinse rice thoroughly...just that  much to dissolve the extra salt.

rinse the sauce pan or pot  you  parboiled rice, pour 2 table spoons of canola oil in the pan and arrange the already  peeled and sliced potatoes on the bottom of the pot,
then  place a layer of the parboiled rice over the potato slices, add a layer of  the addition over the rice layer  (green beans and meatballs mixture) , repeat it alternatively, ( the last layer must be rice) ..mound it  to form a pyramid...and  pour 2 table spoons melted butter over the rice...or vegetable oil

wrap the lid of the pot with a clean towel to absorb the steaming drops.

place the pot  over moderate heat  15 to 20 minutes or until grains are tender.

 I hope you enjoy loobiya polow,   noosh-e Jaan...noosh olsun......