Kalam polo Shirazi

Method

1. 1 Soak the rice for 1 hour, then boil it for less than 6 minutes and rinse with cold water.
2. 2 Shape the minced beef into small balls the size of lychee seeds, then fry them until browned.
3. 3 Small, seed-sized tablets packed with dried mint are a hallmark of Shiraz.
4. 4 Sauté the shredded cabbage with onions until the vegetables are tender and turn golden brown.
5. 5 Layer rice, cabbage, and meatballs in a pot with butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon and dried mint.
6. 6 Simmer over the lowest heat for 30 minutes, covered with a cloth, then squeeze in some lemon juice and fluff up.

With an appliance

• Oven 1 hr 20 min

  Replace steps 5–6: arrange the layers in a covered pot, place on the middle rack of the oven at 160 degrees for 20 minutes, then let it rest for 5 minutes; instead of simmering for 30 minutes, the rice cooks evenly 5 minutes faster and does not require a cover or monitoring the heat. The meatballs should still be lightly fried and the cabbage stir-fried until tender in steps 2–4 before arranging.