Kadū Polō-ye Māzandarānī [Butternut Squash Rice | vegan]

Butternut Squash Rice from Mazandaran | vegan

Origin: Regional Specialty (Shomāl)

While squash rice is a widespread homestyle dish, this quintessential autumn version from Iran’s Caspian Sea region—known in the local dialect as Ka-ee Pelah (pumpkin rice)—beautifully demonstrates how simple, seasonal produce can create a deeply flavorful meal. The gentle sweetness of roasted butternut squash is balanced with warm spices and layered with fluffy basmati rice, then crowned with a golden tahdīg. Though it is traditionally topped with fried eggs, my wife convinced me to try it with golden raisins instead, creating an irresistible sweet and savory combination that quickly became our standard preparation.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 25 minutes (plus 2+ hours soaking)
Cooking time: 1 hour