Kadū Polō [Butternut Squash Rice | vegan]

Butternut Squash Rice from Mazandaran | vegan

Origin: Regional Specialty (Shomāl)

A quintessential autumn dish from Iran’s Caspian Sea region, Kadū Polō is known in the local dialect as Ka-ee Pelah (pumpkin rice) and 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’s 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