Adas Polo ba Sos-e Morgh (عدس پلو با سس مرغ) — Persian Lentil Rice with Savory Chicken

• 450 gBasmati rice (rinsed until water runs mostly clear, then soaked)
• 2000 mlWater (for soaking and parboiling rice; plus more as needed)
• 22 gFine sea salt (divided (includes salting soak water, parboil water, and final seasoning))
• 200 gBrown lentils (rinsed)
• 75 mlVegetable oil (divided)
• 120 gPlain yogurt (for tahdig base)
• 1 largeEgg yolk (for tahdig base)
• 0.3 gSaffron threads (ground, then bloomed)
• 45 mlHot water (to bloom saffron)
• 700 gChicken breast (cut into 2 cm strips)
• 250 gOnion (thinly sliced)
• 180 gGreen bell pepper (thinly sliced)
• 35 gTomato paste (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 gGround black pepper (about 1 teaspoon, divided)
• 2 gTurmeric (about 1 teaspoon)
• 240 mlChicken stock (low-sodium preferred)
• 15 mlLemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)
• 60 gSlivered almonds (toasted until golden)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the basmati rice 4–5 times until the water is mostly clear. Soak it in 1,200 ml water mixed with 12 g of the salt for 45 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and set aside. Bloom saffron by grinding threads, then mixing with 45 ml hot water; cover and steep 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Cook the lentils: bring 900 ml water to a boil, add lentils, and simmer 18–22 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain well and spread on a tray to steam-dry 5 minutes so they do not waterlog the rice. This keeps the final grains fluffy and prevents the pot from turning gummy.

3. 3

   Make the chicken and pepper sauce: heat 30 ml vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until golden at the edges. Add chicken, 1 g black pepper, turmeric, and 6 g of the remaining salt; cook 6–8 minutes until the chicken turns opaque.

4. 4

   Add bell pepper and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook 3 minutes, stirring, to lightly caramelize the paste. Pour in chicken stock, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 12–15 minutes until chicken is cooked through (74°C/165°F). Uncover and simmer 3–5 minutes to thicken to a spoon-coating sauce; stir in lemon juice.

5. 5

   Parboil the rice: bring 2,000 ml water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the soaked rice (drained) and 4 g salt. Boil 6–8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the grains are elongated and the center is just barely firm. Drain immediately and rinse quickly with 250 ml cool water to stop cooking.

6. 6

   Prepare the tahdig base: in a bowl, whisk yogurt, egg yolk, 15 ml vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of the bloomed saffron water. Add 150 g of the parboiled rice and mix until evenly coated. This mixture creates a crisp, golden crust while keeping the rice above it light and separate.

7. 7

   Assemble and steam: heat a 24–26 cm nonstick or well-seasoned pot over medium heat with 30 ml vegetable oil. Spread the saffron-yogurt rice mixture evenly on the bottom. Layer the remaining rice and lentils in 3 layers, gently sprinkling each with a little of the remaining saffron water and 1 g black pepper. Poke 5–6 steam holes with a spoon handle.

8. 8

   Cover the lid with a clean towel and place it on the pot. Steam 10 minutes over medium heat until you see strong steam, then reduce to low and steam 40 minutes. For extra-crisp tahdig, increase heat to medium for the final 2 minutes, watching closely to avoid scorching.

9. 9

   Toast the almonds: while the rice steams, toast slivered almonds in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and light golden. Remove immediately to a plate; residual heat can darken them quickly. Keep them dry for maximum crunch when serving.

10. 10

    Serve: rest the pot off heat for 5 minutes. Spoon the rice and lentils onto a platter, keeping grains fluffy. Invert the pot onto a plate to release the tahdig. Spoon the chicken and bell pepper sauce over or alongside the rice, and finish with toasted slivered almonds and a final drizzle of saffron water if desired.