Sour cherry season is finally here and I have a recipe for Albaloo Polo – Colorful Sour Cherry Rice with Lamb Meatballs for you. I absolutely love these bright red gems with their tart, juicy flesh. Sadly, their season is short — usually just from July to August — and they’re already getting hard to find. The riper the cherries, the more nutrients they hold, so if you spot some at your local market, grab them!
I found some fresh ones the other day and decided to make one of my all-time favorite Persian dishes: Albaloo Polo, which literally means “Sour Cherry Rice.” It’s a festive dish we typically serve at special occasions — a real eye-catcher on any celebration table.
ALBALOO POLO – COLORFUL SOUR CHERRY RICE WITH LAMB MEATBALLS
Albaloo Polo isn’t just delicious – it’s absolutely stunning to look at, like a colorful firework on your plate. Basmati rice is layered with sour cherries in the pot so that the flavors of cinnamon and cherries can infuse together. In Iran, we don’t eat rice as a side dish to something – we eat something alongside the rice! So the meatballs just complement the star of the show. That’s why I baked some small, garlicky lamb meatballs in the oven to serve with it. I especially love this combination. It’s a real feast for the eyes.
NATURALLY COLORED RICE – EDIBLE ART
The beautiful colors in this dish come entirely from natural ingredients:
- Part of the rice stays plain white.
- Another portion is infused with golden saffron, bringing sunshine to the plate.
- The final part is mixed with cherry syrup, turning it a gorgeous pink with a fruity aroma.
The mix of colors, textures, and flavors is simply next-level! I love arranging the different rice colors side by side on a platter, adding cherries and slivered almonds in the center for that wow factor.
HOW TO PIT CHERRIES WITHOUT A PITTER
Pitting sour cherries can be a pain, but here’s a quick kitchen hack:
- Take a clean glass bottle.
- Place the cherry (stem side up) on the mouth of the bottle.
- Use a sturdy straw or chopstick to push the pit down into the bottle.
Voilà! The pit drops in, and the cherry stays whole. If you want something quicker, a cherry pitter tool is also a great investment.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF SOUR CHERRIES
Not only are they tasty, sour cherries are packed with health benefits:
- Full of vitamins: B, A, C, and E
- Rich in minerals like potassium and folate
- Helps to regulate blood pressure
- Contain anti-inflammatory anthocyanins
- Lower oxidative stress and uric acid (great for gout or inflammation)
- Diuretic and detoxifying
- High in natural melatonin, helping with sleep
- Excellent for muscle recovery, joints, and even osteoporosis
A true superfruit!
INGREDIENTS LAMB MEATBALLS
500g (1 lb) ground lamb
1 large yellow onion
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp sumac
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION OF LAMB MEATBALLS
Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C).
Grate the onion, squeeze out the excess juice, and discard the liquid.
Mix the onion and spices into the lamb until you get a smooth, even mixture.
Shape into small meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35–40 minutes, flipping occasionally or prepare them in a
pan with a little oil.
INGREDIENTS BLOOMED SAFFRON
½ tsp saffron threads
25 ml hot water or
1 Ice Cube
INGREDIENTS SOUR CHERRY RICE
4 cups Basmati rice
1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
500g fresh sour cherries (or 400g jarred or frozen)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
INGREDIENTS LAVASH TAH DIG
1 Lavash bread
1 tbsp Ghee
2 tbsp. bloomed Safran
INGREDIENTS GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
1 handful slivered almonds
1 handful slivered pistachios
PREPARATION BLOOMED SAFFRON
Grind the saffron threads with a pinch of sugar and either steep in 25 ml of boiling water or place on an ice cube to let them dissolve. Set aside.
PREPARATION RICE
Wash the rice several times until the water runs clear. Soak it with 1 tsp salt for 1 hour.
Pit the cherries.
In a pot, simmer them with sugar and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Strain, saving the juice.
Reduce the cherry juice for 10 more minutes to make a syrup.
Bring 2 liters of salted water to a boil. Parboil the rice for 5–7 minutes until just tender. Drain.
THE MAGIC OF TAHDIG
In the same pot or in a rice cooker, add ghee, 50ml water, and ⅔ of the saffron water.
Place the lavash bread on the bottom of the pot. At the bottom of the pot, a golden saffron crust forms, we call this Tahdig, and it’s everyone’s favorite part!
PREPARATION SOUR CHERRY RICE
Layer the rice and cherries in the pot. Top with a layer of plain rice. Form a small mound.
Poke 5 holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Cover with a towel-wrapped lid and steam over low heat for 60 minutes.
Once the rice is done, divide it into three bowls:
Leave one white.
Mix one with the remaining saffron water.
Mix one with the cherry syrup.
Arrange the different rice colors side by side on a platter, or layer the cherry rice first and top with the saffron rice. Garnish with the reserved cherries, slivered almonds, and pistachios.
Serve With: Mast-o Khiar (Persian Yogurt & Cucumber Dip)
This dish pairs beautifully with Mast-o Khiar, a refreshing Persian yogurt dip with cucumbers, herbs, and golden raisins. It cools the palate and complements the rich flavors of the rice and lamb.
Nooshe Jan – Enjoy your meal!
Befarmayid
Susan
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Albaloo Polo – Colorful Sour Cherry Rice with Lamb Meatballs
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS LAMB MEATBALLS
- 500 g 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp sumac
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
INGREDIENTS BLOOMED SAFFRON
- ½ tsp saffron threads
- 25 ml hot water or
- 1 Ice Cube
INGREDIENTS RICE
- 4 cups Basmati rice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
INGREDIENTS SOUR CHERRY RICE
- 500 g fresh sour cherries or 400g jarred or frozen
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
INGREDIENTS LAVASH TAH DIG
- 1 Lavash bread
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 2 tbsp. bloomed Safran
INGREDIENTS GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
- 1 handful slivered almonds
- 1 handful slivered pistachios
Instructions
PREPARATION OF LAMB MEATBALLS
-
Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C).
-
Grate the onion, squeeze out the excess juice, and discard the liquid.
-
Mix the onion and spices into the lamb until you get a smooth, even mixture.
-
Shape into small meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
-
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35–40 minutes, flipping occasionally or prepare them in a pan with a little oil.
PREPARATION BLOOMED SAFFRON
-
Grind the saffron threads with a pinch of sugar and either steep in 25 ml of boiling water .
-
or place on an ice cube to let them dissolve. Set aside
PREPARATION RICE
-
Wash the rice several times until the water runs clear. Soak it with 1 tsp salt for 1 hour.
-
Bring 2 liters of salted water to a boil. Parboil the rice for 5–7 minutes until just tender. Drain.
PREPARATION SOUR CHERRIES
-
Pit the cherries.
-
In a pot, simmer them with sugar and cinnamon for 10 minutes.
-
Strain, saving the juice.
-
Reduce the cherry juice for 10 more minutes to make a syrup.
THE MAGIC OF LAVASH TAHDIG
-
In the same pot or in a rice cooker, add ghee, 50ml water, and ⅔ of the saffron water.
-
Place the lavash bread on the bottom of the pot. At the bottom of the pot, a golden saffron crust forms, we call this Tahdig, and it’s everyone’s favorite part!
LAYERING
-
Layer the rice and cherries in the pot.
-
Top with a layer of plain rice. Form a small mound.
-
Poke 5 holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon.
-
Cover with a towel-wrapped lid and steam over low heat for 60 minutes.
COLORING THE RICE
-
Once the rice is done, divide it into three bowls.
-
Leave one white.
-
Mix one with the remaining saffron water.
-
Mix one with the cherry syrup.
DECORATING THE RICE
-
Arrange the different rice colors side by side on a platter,
-
or layer the cherry rice first and top with the saffron rice.
-
Garnish with the reserved cherries, slivered almonds, and pistachios.
Recipe Notes
Serve With: Mast-o Khiar (Persian Yogurt & Cucumber Dip)
Save the recipe for later on Pinterest!
Have you cooked this or maybe another delicious recipe of mine? Feel free to leave me a comment below. If you tag your picture on Instagram with @labsalliebe and use the hashtag #labsalliebe, I won’t miss a post and will be happy to leave you a comment as well. Can’t wait to see your creations.
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