Polo shabati (pilau for the sabbath)
Ingredients
Ingredients:
5 c Water, with 1 tb salt
2 lb Boneless beef chuck, cut
-into 1-in pcs
3 c Raw rice, well rinsed
2 lg (abt 3/4 lb) potatoes,
-peeled & cut into 1/4-in
-thick slices
1/2 ts To 1 ts pepper, to taste
1 tb Ground cinnamon
1/2 c Light or dark raisins,
-rinsed under cold water
1 c Water, hot
1/2 c Corn oil
Instructions
1. Bring 5 cups of water w/1 tb salt to a boil in pan, add meat, & cook over moderate heat for mins. Remove foam that rises during this time. Remove meat from liquid & set aside.
2. Add rice to same liquid & cook over moderate heat for 5 mins. Drain rice through a colander, rinse under cold water, & set aside.
3.Put sliced potatoes on bottom of pan, arranged in orderly fashion. Spread over this half of rice & sprinkle w/pepper & cinnamon. Spread raisins in center of rice. Add all meat over this & balance of rice over all. Pour in cup of hot water & dribble oil over surface & around edges of pan.
4.Cover pan & cook over low heat for 1/2 hr. Reduce heat to very low & cook, tightly covered, for 5 hrs to produce crisp potatoes & rice. Serve warm.
VARIATION: One hard-cooked egg for each person may be added to rice and meat pan. Cook eggs in water w/1/2 ts salt for 5 mins. Salt is added to prevent shell from breaking. Rinse eggs in cold water & place them on top of rice in pan after adding hot water & oil. Cover pan & cook as directed.
NOTE: Rice is not a prohibited food & is eaten during Passover as well as rest of year. It is Basmati rice, found in Pakistan and Afghanistan, & is cleaned by hand three times to remove broken kernels, dirt & other impurities. This, in a general way, prepares rice for the holiday.
