Description
Shrimp Rice with Herbs (Meygoo Polo) is a fragrant Persian-inspired dish made with tender shrimp, basmati rice, fresh cilantro, dill, green onions, fenugreek, saffron, and warming spices. Lemon juice brightens the flavors, creating a colorful and satisfying seafood dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed, or brown rice
- ½ cup brown basmati rice, rinsed, or white rice
- ½ cup quinoa or rice
- 1 teaspoon salt, adjust as needed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder or Persian advieh
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup chopped dill
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ¼ cup chopped fenugreek leaves or ¾ tablespoon dried fenugreek
- 1 pound raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ teaspoon powdered saffron, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Prepare the rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly. Cook the selected rice and quinoa combination according to the package directions, accounting for differences in cooking times. Cook grains separately if necessary, then set aside.
- Prepare the ingredients: Chop the onion, garlic, cilantro, dill, green onions, and fenugreek. Thinly slice the red bell pepper. Dissolve the powdered saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and red bell pepper and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften.
- Add the spices: Stir in the curry powder or advieh, red pepper flakes, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Cook briefly, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Cook the shrimp: Add the cleaned shrimp and stir to coat with the seasoned mixture. Cook until opaque, pinkish, and cooked through, taking care not to overcook.
- Add the herbs: Stir in the cilantro, dill, green onions, and fenugreek. Cook briefly until the herbs begin to soften and release their aroma.
- Season with lemon and saffron: Add the lemon juice and prepared saffron water. Stir gently to distribute the flavors evenly.
- Combine and serve: Add the prepared rice to the skillet and fold gently until the grains are coated and the shrimp and herbs are evenly distributed. Heat through and serve warm.
Notes
- Choose a rice and quinoa combination with compatible cooking times, or cook the grains separately before combining.
- Use either curry powder or Persian advieh, as preferred, and adjust the red pepper flakes to control the heat.
- For the best shrimp texture, cook until just done and fold gently into the rice to avoid breaking the grains.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: persian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
- Calories: 430 kcal
Keywords: shrimp rice with herbs, Meygoo Polo, Persian shrimp rice, shrimp basmati rice, shrimp and herb rice, Persian seafood recipe, saffron shrimp rice