June 26, 2010

Maash Polow - Rice with Mung Beans


ماش پلو Maash Polow (rice with mung beans) is a delightful summer dish, light, simple and delicious. Usually, around the beginning of each summer, I go through my pantry and check the shelves for any kinds of grains, peas and beans that have been stored in jars, bags and containers and decide what to make with them so that they won't be left sitting on the shelves throughout the hot and humid summer days. That's when I found this forgotten jar of mung beans that I had bought 2-3 months ago. Mung beans are good in soups, salads and are super delicious when cooked with rice, sauteed onions and a heavy pinch of turmeric, slowly over low heat.


I've used a different method for cooking this rice. There's no need to pre-soak the rice. This is an easier method of cooking rice and it's more flavorful. I like to use equal portions of rice and beans for this dish. If you like you can add another 1/2 cup of rice to the recipe.


Maash Polow - Rice with Mung Beans

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups dried mung beans, picked over and washed
1 1/2 cups rice, washed and drained
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin *optional
Water
Oil or butter
Salt

Method:

  1. In a medium pot, place the beans, add 3-4 cups of water over medium heat and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on medium to low heat for about 30-40 minutes until the beans are soft.
  2. In the meantime, in a non-stick heavy bottom pot with a tight fitting lid, heat 4 tablespoons of oil or butter and saute the chopped onions until they turn golden, add turmeric and cumin. Stir thoroughly. 
  3. Add the mung beans to the onions, mix gently and cook them together for 5-7 minutes.
  4. Add the rice to the pot, add water to cover the rice by a couple of inches, add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, place a clean soft kitchen cloth between the lid and the pot to absorb the excess moisture, close the lid tightly and cook for an hour over low heat.
Serve warm on a platter with plain yogurt or mast-o-khiar.

Enjoy!

16 comments:

  1. merciiiiiiiiiiiii

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  2. I like this!
    I have mung beans sitting on my shelf too...

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  3. I have never heard of this, sounds like adaas polo, I will have to try this!! Thanks!!!

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  4. Oh! What a nice rice dish...love the idea of combining with mung bean...love the greenish color of it :-)

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  5. What a great blog. I found you looking for a Bastani recipe. Alas, no Bastani preparation instructions, but plenty of other treasures to be found. I'll be back. Many thanks

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  6. Sounds delicious...I've always had mung beans like baghali polo with dill...I'll have to try this method

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  7. This one is new to me, but since I just picked up a batch of mung beans, that will not be the case for long.

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  8. Had never thought of combining mung beans and rice, but it sounds very appealing.

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  9. azita joon, i am one of those crazy people who loves hot food even if it is hot outside- especially my rice. i'd love to have some of this right now. it's another favourite dish of mine. so beautiful. xxx shayma

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  10. I made this and it was good. Thank you.

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  11. I'm a half Iranian who never had Maash made by Iranians. My husband's relatives are Afghan and that is the first time I had this dish--soooooo delish!!

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  12. I'm afghan and we also eat rice with mung bean the way you prepared. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. Love your blog I'm so glad I found it.

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  13. oh my goodness, i'm so excited to cook this! i love making new & different persian rice recipes. we're both armenian but my husband is from iran and i'm from yerevan so i'm trying my very best to master the persian dishes as he's grown up with in esfahan. yay. thank you for the thorough details in the instructions, your website rocks.

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    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you're going to try the recipe and please let me know how it goes. Thank you.

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  14. I recently moved away from home & I came across this recipe since I was missing my moms cooking.
    It tasted just like home - thanks for the recipe :)

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