Kalam Polo recipe is a Persian dish where dime-sized turmeric-scented meatballs are nestled in saffron-flavoured cabbage rice mix. Kalam polo is best served with Shirazi salad and yoghurt. Step-by-step pictures included.
I have a handful of favourite accounts that I go to for inspiration on Instagram. One of them is @faridah88 who doesn't share recipes for all that she posts but her pictures make you want to google and find them! So all those studded mini meatballs dishes made me look for Persian Polow recipes. Then I came across Sanam's My Persian Kitchen's Kalam Polow which was so apt as I had fresh cabbage!
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What is Kalam Polow?
Kalam Polow Ba Zafaran and Kofte translates to cabbage rice with saffron and meatballs. You will find different versions of this dish extending from easy everyday versions to elaborate festive versions! Basic ingredients like cabbage, meat, and rice are used in all versions.
Type of meat used
I learnt that the meat used in the different versions of this polo varies from bite-size cubed meat to small meatballs, and also some use ground meat as is. So it is obvious preparing Kalam Polo with ground meat would have been the easiest but I went with the meatballs because they stand out and grab our attention! Don't you agree?
Should we wash the ground meat?
There is always the question "Should we wash the ground meat?". I have tried both ways and the only difference post-cooking is the colour of the meat. But for meatballs, washing the minced meat would be a bad idea. if you must, then make sure you let it drain in a colander and squeeze out the excess moisture before using. I don’t wash ground meat, but if I find too much blood then I just let it sit in a colander to drain.
Ingredients
Look at this list! So few ingredients but trust me, this is all that you need to make a delicious Persian meat and rice dish.
- ground meat: beef or lamb
- veggies: onion, garlic, and cabbage
- ground spices: turmeric and black pepper
- oil
- basmati rice
- saffron
How to make it?
The three primary ingredients of Kalam Polo are Cabbage, Rice and Meatballs. We prepare each separately and then cook together to finish. Not to forget the Saffron that lends colour and flavour. But if you don't have it, you can mimic the colour by using turmeric.
- The first thing you will do is brew the saffron so we get the maximum out of it.
- Then make tiny meatballs and keep them aside.
- Cook the cabbage and keep it aside.
- Brown the meatballs and keep them aside.
- Parboil the rice and mix it with cabbage and saffron.
- The petite koftes are browned in fat and then nestled into the rice along with the cabbage and slow-cooked to finish.
- Served with any salad and yoghurt.
Brew saffron
Take a pinch of saffron and pound to a powder using 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 that will help to breakdown the saffron strands to fine powder easily.
Recently I came across another method. Add the fine saffron to ice cubes and let 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.
Take a large bowl, 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.
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 through. This will take anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer into a large mixing bowl.
Add two tablespoons of oil to the same pan while still hot. Place all the meatballs carefully or do 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.
Boil the rice in plenty of salted water until the grains are al-dente or par-boiled, meaning not completely cooked. Drain the rice into a colander.
Transfer the drained rice into the bowl of cabbage.
Add around 2 tablespoons of brewed saffron to the rice bowl and gently mix all together. (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 the water. Layer the pot with some rice and place all the meatballs.
Cover the meatballs 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 minutes. Serve hot with cold salad and yoghurt or Laban.
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!
📖 Recipe Card
Kalam Polow Ba Zafaran and Kofte | Cabbage Rice With Saffron and Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 400 grams ground beef , or lamb
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (100 gms)
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil to pan fry
For the Cabbage mixture
- 160 grams 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 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
Instructions
Brew saffron
- Take a pinch of saffron and pound to a powder using a mortar pestle or the 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 for at least 2 hours.
Make meatballs
- In a large bowl, add the chopped onion, grated garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper and ground beef.1 large onion4 cloves garlic cloves½ teaspoon turmeric powderSalt and pepper to taste400 grams 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).oil to stir-fry
- Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent.1 large onion
- Add the chopped cabbage, salt and turmeric.160 grams shredded cabbage¼ teaspoon turmeric powderSalt to taste
- Sauté for about 20 minutes or until cabbage is cooked (you may cover and cook during the last few minutes). Transfer into a large mixing bowl.
Pan-fry the meatballs
- Add two tablespoons of oil to the same pan while still hot.Oil to pan fry
- Place all the meatballs carefully or do it 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.4 cups water
- Add the drained rice and enough salt (more than usual).1 cup basmati riceSalt to taste
- 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.
- Drain the rice into a colander. Transfer the drained rice into the bowl of cabbage.
- Add around 2 tablespoons of brewed saffron to the rice and gently mix it all.2 tablespoon brewed saffron
Prepare Kalam Polow with Saffron
- 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.
- 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 water to the pan where the meatballs were sautéed and deglaze the pan.¼ cup water
- 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.
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