Persian Jeweled Rice is a spectacular rice pilaf topped with colorful gem-like fruits and nuts. This popular Middle Eastern wedding dish is a celebration in itself ~ it’s gluten free, vegan, and incredibly delicious!
Persian Jeweled Rice is a show stopping side dish
This is insane. I was grinning the whole time I was making, photographing, and eating this spectacular recipe. The mix of colors and textures, the aroma, and the complex flavors make it totally holiday worthy. I can’t think of a meal that wouldn’t be enhanced by this delicious Persian jeweled rice.
Persian Jeweled Rice (aka Persian Wedding Rice)
Persian jeweled rice, known as “Javaher Polow” in Farsi, is a traditional Iranian dish that is as visually stunning as it is delicious. The name “jeweled” comes from the vibrant colors of its ingredients, which resemble precious gems. It is a celebratory dish often served at weddings, holidays, and other special occasions in Persian culture.
Dried cherries, apricots, figs, pistachios and pomegranate seeds glisten like little gems scattered throughout this beautiful dish.
It’s the perfect accompaniment to a simple roasted chicken, and wouldn’t it be just amazing on a Thanksgiving table?
Authentic Basmati rice is essential for this jeweled pilaf
When I made my Saffron Rice I learned that true basmati rice only comes from India. When I was at my regular grocery store I was surprised to find a 10 lb burlap sack of Indian basmati, complete with a zipper and handles! I felt very exotic and chic walking out with my basmati tote bag But seriously, look for genuine Indian basmati, you’ll taste the difference and you’ll be helping to support the dna of an ancient rice, as well as the farmer’s who grow it.
Basmati rice is prized for its long, slender grains that remain separate and fluffy after cooking, unlike regular rice which tends to be stickier. It has a distinctive nutty aroma and delicate floral flavor, thanks to its naturally high content of aromatic compounds, setting it apart from other varieties. It’s one of the many ingredients that makes Persian jeweled rice so special.
The spices in Persian jeweled rice make it a feast for the senses.
It’s exquisitely flavored with saffron, which gives it its golden color, along with cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice. You’ll bite down on toasted fennel and cumin seeds which will release alternate bursts of flavor.
a hint of citrus
The finely julienned lemon rind adds a surprising amount of citrus aroma to the rice.
This little zesting tool will give you super fine ribbons of pure zest, with none of the bitter white part. I love this tool and use it a lot.
the fruits are the jewels in jeweled rice
What kind of dried fruits can you use?
I chose apricots, tart cherries and figs, but you could also use cranberries, golden raisins, goji berries, or the authentic Middle Eastern barberries, if you can find them.
pomegranates arils
Most pomegranates are harvested during the fall months (in the northern hemisphere) and are widely available throughout the holiday season. Many grocery stores will stock them during this period, so grab them if you see them. You can sometimes find the seeds sold separately in little tubs, but they are not always very fresh, so I like to start with the whole fruit whenever possible. Pomegranate arils are the finishing touch on Persian jeweled rice and you want them to gleam!!
the easiest way to seed a pomegranate
The best method for separating the gem-like seeds, or arils, from a pomegranate is also the easiest!
- Slice the fruit in half with a large sharp knife. I like to slice it part way, and then break the rest apart with my hands.
- Hold the half, cut side down, over a large bowl in the sink.
- Whack the skin side of the fruit and watch the seeds fall right into the bowl ~ it’s like magic!
Persian jeweled rice is vegan and gluten free
This makes it an ideal side dish to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings. Your special diet friends and family won’t feel cheated this year, I promise!
more show stopping vegetarian and vegan side dishes
- Vegan Ancient Grain Salad
- Basmati with Wild Rice, Chickpeas, Currants, and Herbs
- Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Nuts
- Fragrant Toasted Almond Pilaf
Featured comments
“Not too sweet, not too spicy, just perfect! You just made three friends’ evening a night to remember. Thanks and thanks and thanks!” ~Efthymia
“Well, this was just phenomenal. It took willpower for us not to consume the whole pan tonight.” ~Lynda
“I made this awesome rice for a special occassion and my word, it is absolutely a rich dish. One of the best rich dish I have had and I will make it again.” ~Rafeya
“Hi every body, sorry, my English is very limited. I just finished to cook this rice dish und it’s the best rice I ever made.” ~Christa
“I made this for a dinner party last week and it was as tasty as it was beautiful to look at! The fragrance of the spices while cooking was absolutely intoxicating!” ~Darlene
Persian Jeweled Rice
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cardamom
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed well
- 2 bay leaves
- finely julienned rind of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
- 1/4 cup dried Turkish apricots, diced
- 1/4 cup dried figs, diced
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup pistachios, toasted
- seeds of 1 pomegranate for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the saffron threads in 2 1/4 cups of hot water and set aside. Note: you can use vegetable or chicken stock if you prefer.)
- Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute the fennel and cumin seeds until they are fragrant, just a minute or two. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and allspice and stir to combine. Add the onion and sauté over low heat until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the rice and saute it for a minute or 2 with the spices and onion.
- Pour in the saffron infused water, along with the bay leaves and lemon rind. Stir to combine, season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Add in the fruit and nuts, stir to combine, and cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid. Cook on low to medium heat for about 12 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes. Note: check your rice after 12 minutes, and if it's not tender, let cook a few minutes more.
- When the rice is done, fluff it, remove the bay leaves, and spoon onto a large platter. Scatter the pomegranate seeds on top to garnish.
Notes
I should also note that a more traditional way of making this rice includes a crusted layer of rice at the bottom. It’s a more involved method which you can see here
- Try this same flavor profile with other grains such as quinoa, farro, or cracked wheat.
Nutrition
Am so excited to see this post for more reason than one. First I just love the rice…it looks awesome ! i just can’t wait to make some . I love your spice box -so Indian. Lastly, I lived in Dehradun, India – it is famous for basmati and we would get rice from the basmati fields ( my mother still does) and it is always kept away to age….I don’t think she has ever used anything less than 6-8 yrs old. next time am in Dehradun am going to take pictures of the basmati fields. :))
I forgot to mention the part about basmati being aged, that’s so interesting. I wish I had you with me at our Indian market where I’m perplexed by the huge display of different kinds of rice—I just grab the one in the prettiest package!
This has to the prettiest dish I think you have ever made. What a treat for the eyes. Gorgeous!
I think this has to win the beauty award, for sure.
Love all the jewel like colours in this rice. What is it about pomegranates? They just seem to lift any dish to a real feast.
And it’s so strange that no other fruit is anything like them.
Hi,
after EVERYBODY who eat it asks for the recipe of your peach-crumble, this here sounds like a follower – so appetizing! I will try it after our holidays – and tell on berlinletters.blogspot.de about the results (which will be good, I KNOW it)
Thanks Brigitta! Now you have me craving some peach crumble!
What a beautiful creation! I’ll wager this is delicious. I’m going to have to give it a try. It is too tempting to resist. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Maybe for your famous and fabulous Thanksgiving table!
Basmati is my favorite also.This recipe looks exquiste..and it would be my whole meal.Perfect.
I was thinking of putting in some chicken thighs or something as it cooks to make this a complete meal. I’m going to try that next time.
Gotta try that method for cleaning the pomegranates… I used a way Jamie Oliver recommend ( which involves tapping on the sliced fruit with a wooden spoon) but that just had me cleaning up pomegranate spatters all around the kitchen! This sounds a lot better…;) this rice sounds totally delicious!! Bookmarking this to make soon, very soon!!
Gotta try that method for cleaning the pomegranates… I used a way Jamie Oliver recommend ( which involves tapping on the sliced fruit with a wooden spoon) but that just had me cleaning up pomegranate spatters all around the kitchen! This sounds a lot better…;) this rice sounds totally delicious!! Bookmarking this to make soon, very soon!!
There were no splatters with this method at all, I couldn’t believe it. It kills me to think that the house I used to live in had a huge pomegranate tree in the backyard that went under-appreciated— if I’d only known then what I know now.
Basmati is my favourite rice, I always order this when I see it on a menu but now I’ll have a go at making it.
We have an Indian market that we go to occasionally and they have a mind boggling array of different basmati rices, all in these beautiful sacks and packages, but none of it marked in English, so I just randomly pick one and it always turns out wonderful, but different from the last. It’s an interesting kind of rice.
This recipe looks delicious! Its exotic and perfect!
Exotic is the perfect work for it, but it’s really no more trouble than cooking regular rice.