Kalam polo is one of the many delicious Persian rice you can have. Kalam translates to cabbage and polo to rice in Farsi. Like all traditional recipes out there this one also has different versions extending from easy daily versions to more elaborate festive versions! Though different techniques are used in preparing this rice, the basic ingredients like cabbage, meat, and rice are used in all versions.

 

Should we wash the ground meat?

There is always the question of "Should we wash the ground meat?" I don't know. I have tried both ways and the only difference post-cooking is the colour of the meat. The one without washing tends to get darker brown because of all the blood I suppose. I usually don’t wash ground meat. But if I find too much blood then I quickly rinse. So the method I use to wash ground meat is using a colander under a running water tap. Then let it drain, and squeeze out any remaining moisture using hands or spoon. Before you mix other ingredients, make sure the ground meat is completely drained off the excess water. In the images here, the ground meat was not washed.

Step by Step Recipe for Persian Cabbage Rice with Meatballs

Brew Saffron

Take a pinch of saffron and pound to a powder using a mortar pestle or back of the spoon with a dash of sugar. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of boiling water and cover it. Let it sit overnight or at least 2 hours. The sugar is used for its crystal property which will help to break down the saffron strands to fine powder easily. Recently I came across another method of adding the fine saffron on ice cubes and letting it sit overnight to brew. Both methods work and the flavour always comes from the quality of the saffron. You may make a bigger batch and store it in the fridge for later.

Make the Meatballs

Wash and drain the ground meat if you want to, else skip this step and use the meat as is. Take a large bowl, and add the chopped onion, grated garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper and the ground beef. Mix thoroughly using your hands until well incorporated. Make small meatballs about the size of a cherry (makes around 40 meatballs). Keep aside until needed.

Prepare the Cabbage mixture

Chop the onions and cabbage to the same size preferably diced thinly. Heat a tablespoon of any cooking oil in a thick-bottomed pan (you will use the same pan to fry the meatballs too). Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent. Add the chopped cabbage, salt and turmeric. Sauté until cabbage is cooked for about 15 minutes. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.

Pan-fry the meatballs

Add two tablespoons of oil to the same pan while still hot. Place all the meatballs carefully or do them in batches. Pan-fry the meatballs on medium to high flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Remove the meatballs and reserve the leftover juices from the meatballs in the pan for deglazing.

Parboil the Rice

Bring to boil 4 to 5 cups of water in a pot. Add the drained rice and enough salt (more than usual). Bring to a rolling boil once again and then reduce the flame to low and let it boil for 2 to 5 minutes and switch off. We want the grains to be al-dente or par-boiled, meaning not completely cooked. Drain the rice into a colander. Transfer the drained rice into the bowl of cabbage.

Prepare Kalam Polow with Saffron

Add around 2 tablespoons of brewed saffron to the rice bowl and gently mix it all. (Gently, because you don't want to break the grains).

Take the same pot to prepare the Polow and add 2 tablespoons of water. Swirl the pan to ensure the surface is covered with water. Layer the pot with rice, place all the meatballs, and then cover with the remaining rice. Create four to five deep holes with the back of a ladle in the rice.

Place the pot over a medium flame and cover and cook for 10 minutes. (you may use a heat diffuser). Meanwhile, add some hot water to the pan where the meatballs were sautéed and deglaze the pan on low flame. Open the pot and pour the broth over the rice. Cover the pot with foil or cloth and close with the lid tightly. Turn the flame to the lowest and let it cook for 20 or 30 more minutes. Serve hot with cold salad and yoghurt or Laban.

Kalam Polo Recipe | Cabbage Rice With Saffron and Meatballs

Serves: 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs
400gms ground beef or lamb
1 large onion, very finely chopped (100 gms)
4 cloves garlic, grated
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil to pan fry

For the Cabbage mixture
160gms shredded cabbage, (half of a medium-sized cabbage)
1 large onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
oil to stir-fry

For the Polow
1 cup basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
4 cups of water to parboil the rice
Salt to taste

For the assembling and cooking further
2 tablespoon brewed saffron
¼ cup water to deglaze the meatballs fried pan

METHOD

1. Wash and drain the ground meat if you want to, else skip this step.
2. Take a large bowl, add the chopped onion, grated garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper and the ground beef.
3. Mix thoroughly using your hands until well incorporated.
4. Make small meatballs about the size of a cherry (makes around 40 meatballs).
5. Keep aside until needed.

1. Chop the onions and cabbage to the same size preferably diced thinly.
2. Heat a tablespoon of any cooking oil in a thick-bottomed pan (you will use the same pan to fry the meatballs too).
3. Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent.
4. Add the chopped cabbage, salt and turmeric.
5. Sauté for about 20 minutes or until cabbage is cooked (you may cover and cook during the last few minutes).
6. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.

1. Add two tablespoons of oil to the same pan while still hot.
2. Place all the meatballs carefully or do it in batches.
3. Pan-fry the meatballs on medium to high flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked all the way through.
4. Remove the meatballs and reserve the leftover juices from the meatballs in the pan for deglazing.

1. Bring to boil 4 to 5 cups of water in a pot.
2. Add the drained rice and enough salt (more than usual).
3. Bring to a rolling boil once again and then reduce the flame to low and let it boil for 2 to 5 minutes and switch off. We want almost cooked but not completely cooked rice.
4. Drain the rice into a colander.
5. Transfer the drained rice into the bowl of cabbage.
6. Add around 2 tablespoons of brewed saffron to the rice and gently mix it all.

1. Take the same pot to prepare the Polow and add 2 tablespoons of water and swirl the pan to ensure the surface is covered with the water.
2. Layer the pot with rice, place all the meatballs, and then cover with the remaining rice.
3. Create four to five deep holes with the back of a ladle in the rice.
4. Place the pot over a medium flame and cover and cook for 10 minutes. (you may use a heat diffuser).
5. Meanwhile, add some water to the pan where the meatballs were sautéed and deglaze the pan.
6. Open the pot and pour the broth over the rice. Cover the pot with foil or cloth and close with the lid tightly. Turn the flame to the lowest and let it cook for 20 or 30 more minutes.
7. Serve hot with cold salad and yoghurt or laban.

I am not too happy with the photography here. I was frantically trying to dig out the meatballs with my hands to garnish the rice... lol... what was I thinking?? I could have made it easier by using a spoon but the hungry brain works worst. I thought too much time will make the food cold which is the last thing I want. So the pictures don't do much justice to the beauty of the dish! Update 2020 July - New images with strategically placed meatballs 😂

You can always increase the rice quantity to suit your family's needs. I made less rice and more meat to keep it low in carbs. I made some tangy salad to go with Kalam Polow with whatever I had - mix some finely chopped onions, parsley and tomatoes dressed with salt, vinegar and olive oil. It- Highly recommended!

TRIED THIS RECIPE?

I would love to hear from you. If you have made this recipe then do leave a comment below. If you like this recipe then do share the recipe link on Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Follow me on Instagram and mention @butfirstchaai or tag #butfirstchai so that I can see your creations!

Check out what my blogger friends shared for this challenge An InLinkz Link-up

Have you checked my Persian Jewelled Rice recipe? If you are looking at ways to use up Pomegranate Molasses, then do check my Fesenjan recipe!

Thank You!