Millions of people worldwide celebrate Nowruz each spring. This holiday celebrates both the start of a new year on the Persian calendar and the arrival of spring. Nowruz has been celebrated for over 3,000 years and is rooted in the ancient religion Zoroastrianism.
According to National Geographic, Nowruz falls around the spring equinox and lasts 13 days. Families and friends reunite during this time through gatherings, celebrations and food traditions.
A key element of Nowruz is the food, with families and friends gathering to enjoy sizable meals. Foods often enjoyed during the holiday include sweets, dried fruits and various symbolic dishes representing renewal and spring. Rice-based dishes are a constant at Nowruz celebrations, frequently arranged in the middle of the table for communal dining.
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi is one of the most identifiable dishes served during Nowruz. It consists of herbed rice and fried fish, traditionally prepared on Shab-e-Nowruz (the night before the new year). The bright green herbs symbolizes nature coming back to life and a new beginning. Fresh herbs like parsley, dill, chives and coriander are mixed in with Basmati rice. It is then served with fish and typically eaten with bitter oranges, lemons and sometimes pickled garlic. These flavors complement each other to bring out the freshness of this springtime meal.
According to the recipe on the Hamisharafi website, this dish is adaptable; the type of fish can be chosen based on what’s on hand. In the northern parts of Iran, they may use mahi sefid, which is a white fish from the Caspian Sea. Others may use sea bass, salmon or sea bream if they live somewhere else or cannot find this fish.
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi is made by taking several meticulous steps to bring together the herbs, rice and fish. First, the herbs get washed and are set out to dry. Next, the herbs get finely chopped and mixed with some garlic. The herbs are what give the rice its green color and fragrance.
Basmati rice is washed several times in water until the water runs clear. This removes extra starch from the rice. It is then parboiled in salted boiling water. After several minutes, strain and rinse with cool water to halt the cooking process, then layer the rice and chopped herbs in the pot.
Before layering rice, oil should be added to the bottom of the pot. Some recipes call for lettuce leaves to create tahdig – a crispy golden crust of rice that forms on the bottom of the pot and is considered prize-worthy in many Persian rice dishes.
After the rice and herbs are layered, holes are gently poked into the rice. The rice will steam cook, and these holes allow steam to move throughout the rice. Rice is covered and cooked on a low heat for about 45 minutes. This long cook time allows the herbs and garlic flavors to soak into the entire dish.
While the rice is cooking, the fish is fried. Fish should be cleaned and seasoned with turmeric, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder and salt. After seasoning, the fish is placed into hot oil to fry until golden and crispy on the outside
When ready, the rice is flipped onto a serving dish and the crispy tahdig is removed and served alongside the herbed rice. Some of the herbed rice may be combined with saffron water to become golden and placed on top of the dish as garnish.
The finished plate will serve fried fish, herb rice, citrus and pickled garlic. Individuals will usually take a piece of fish, break it up and mix it into the herb rice. A squeeze of fresh lemon or bitter orange juice is then added to the dish.
Sabzi Polo ba Mahi means more than just a dish for families celebrating Nowruz. It encompasses years of tradition and the joy of the new year, which brings freshness and regeneration.
