Tah Chin Booghalamoon ba Sabzi (Persian Rice with Turkey and Green Herbs)

Let me start this post by saying that this is the first time I made this and it was so tasty I have to share it! This was also my husband’s and my attempt at naming the dish in Farsi, so please forgive us if there i a better description.

I saw the recipe for Persian Rice with Turkey – Aromatic on JitterCook.com and was intrigued. It was similar to a chicken dish I make – Tah Chin (I have yet to do a post on this, but I will) – but also called for green herbs, so I could use the Qormeh Sabzi vegetables I had in my freezer.

If you want to try this and do not have Qormeh Sabzi vegetables, you can start with the original recipe. My technique for this is a bit different from hers, use whichever approach you are more comfortable with.

This dish was also special to me because it was my first use of our own garlic!

It is a very local dish – the green veggies and garlic are from my garden, the potatoes are from Farmer Kim, and the turkey is from TA Farms, about 7 miles from my house.

Tah Chin Booghalamoon ba Sabzi (Persian Rice with Turkey and Green Herbs)

(adapted from JitteryCook.com)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 recipe Qormeh Sabzi vegetables (from the garden)

4 cloves garlic, minced (from the garden)

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (from TA Farms)

3 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in water for 1 hour, then drained)

8 cups water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsp sea salt (I used Himalayan pink)

Olive oil – enough to coat the bottom of the sauce pan to 1/4-inch deep

4 small yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4-inch thick (keep in water until ready to use) (from Farmer Kim)

1/2 tsp saffron, ground and steeped in 2 Tbsp hot water (or 1/4 tsp turmeric and 2 Tbsp water)

Directions

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add the Qormeh Sabzi vegetables and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.

Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring, until the turkey is cooked. Season with salt and set aside.

Cook the rice:

In a 5 quart, non-stick pot, bring the water, 1/4 cup of olive oil and salt to a brisk boil. Add the rice and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. After about 3 minutes, check a few grains of rice, it should be al dente. Pour the rice into a colander to drain. Set aside.

Assemble and cook:

Using the same pot, just cover the bottom with olive oil. Add the saffron or turmeric and water. Stir together. Add the potato slices in a flat layer on the bottom of the pan.

Add 1/2 the rice, then a layer of the turkey mixture, then the rest of the rice. Press down.

Cover the pot with a clean dish towel and lid or a covered lid.

Cook on medium-high for 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes. Turn off he heat and tilt the lid to let steam escape until ready to serve.

Invert the pot to turn the rice out onto a flat surface.

Enjoy!