Estambolī Polō [Tomato One-Pot Rice | vegan]

Tomato One-Pot Rice | vegan

Origin: Widespread Homestyle

As a damī (short for dampokhtak), this one-pot rice skips the multi-step boiling and steaming of a formal polō, instead simmering all the ingredients together for a straightforward, comforting meal. The dish goes by several names that tell the story of its star ingredient. Its proper title, Damī-ye Gojeh Farangī, uses the Farsi word for tomato, which translates literally to “Western plum.” However, you will most often hear it called Estambolī Polō (“Istanbul Rice”), hinting at the trade route this New World fruit took into Persian kitchens. The result is a soft, deeply savory rice infused with cooked tomatoes and onions, often fortified with diced potatoes for a perfect everyday staple.

Serves: 4-5
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Fresh Produce

• 7 ripe medium tomatoes (about 2 lbs / 900g)
• 6 small potatoes
• 1 small onion

Pantry

• 2 cups long-grain basmati rice
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp turmeric
• A good pinch of crushed red pepper
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
• 1 tbsp kosher salt

Preparation

• Dice the onion and peel and cube the potatoes.
• Cut a small "X" in the bottom of each tomato.
• Rinse the rice in a large bowl with cool water, gently swirling with your hands, then draining. Repeat 4-5 times until the water runs mostly clear.

Instructions

1. Blanch the tomatoes. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch them in the boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water to cool. The skins should now peel off easily; discard the skins, core the tomatoes, and purée them in a food processor (this should yield about 4 cups).
2. Soak the rice. In the same bowl, combine the drained rice with the tomato purée and let it soak for 20-30 minutes. Do not drain.
3. Sauté the vegetables. In a large, nonstick pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the potatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes, until golden on all sides. Add the turmeric and a pinch of salt and stir well.
4. Cook the tomato paste. Push the potatoes to the side, add the tomato paste to the center of the pot, and cook for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it darkens in color.
5. Simmer the rice. Add the rice and tomato purée mixture to the pot along with 1 cup (240 ml) of water, the remaining salt, and a pinch of red pepper. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Steam the damī. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid wrapped in a damkonī or clean kitchen towel and cook for 40 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
7. Serve. After 40 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve.

Tips

• Unlike a fluffy chelo, the texture of a damī is meant to be soft and slightly sticky.
• Be careful not to add too much extra water, as this can make the rice mushy.
• This dish is excellent with a side of plain yogurt or Māst-o-Khīyār.