“My father is of Persian-Iraqi descent,” says actor, comedian, and host Shai Avivi, who cooked for the “House Pot” lunch series at Cafe Asif. “Herbs, stews, and Persian lime are part of his and my DNA — and, of course, rice. This dish is a tribute to my father’s 90th birthday.”
The soup, which also features fried rice balls and lentils, is hearty and perfect for the winter. He served it for the “House Pot” lunch series at Cafe Asif. You can prepare the soup base the day before serving and store it in the refrigerator, but it’s best to make the rice balls just before serving.
For the soup:
2 cups olive oil
2 medium onions, cubed
2 leeks, separated into green and white parts, thinly sliced crosswise
2 Persian black limes, crushed
1 Persian lime, crushed
2 parsley roots, peeled and finely chopped
½ green chili pepper, finely chopped
1 celery, finely chopped
2 bunches chard or spinach, stems and leaves separated, both finely chopped
3 tablespoons salt
2L (8 cups) water
1 cup black lentils, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
¾ bunch parsley, finely chopped
¾ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
For the rice balls:
1½ cups short-grain rice like arborio
1 tablespoon salt
2¾ cups lukewarm water
3 seedless Persian black limes
1 seedless shatta (or other chile) pepper
¼ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 large lemon, zested
2 cups semolina, for coating
2 cups neutral oil, for deep frying
- Prepare the soup: Heat 1 cup of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, the white part of the leek, the Persian limes, diced parsley root, chile pepper, celery, and chard stems, and fry until they soften. Season with salt.
- Add the chard leaves, and the green part of the leek and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, add the black lentils, and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Pour in the remaining olive oil and stir. Gently simmer for 15–20 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley and cilantro, stir, and turn off the heat.
- Prepare the rice: In a pot, combine the rice, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, stir lightly, and cover. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 16 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for another 5 minutes. Stir gently with a wooden spoon. If the rice is too dry, add a little hot water and mash with a wooden spoon until the grains become sticky. Leave uncovered to cool for about 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grind the Persian lime and shatta pepper into a coarse powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle (if using a mortar and pestle, break the lime into small pieces first).
- Mix the parsley, cilantro, lemon zest, salt, and crushed lime mixture into the sticky rice. Wet your hands slightly and form the rice into ping-pong-sized balls.
- Place the semolina in a shallow bowl. Roll each rice ball in the semolina to evenly coat.
- Fry the rice balls: Heat 2 cups of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until lightly bubbling. Add the rice balls and fry until they turn a very light golden color, 3–5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- To serve: Pour the soup into deep bowls and serve the fried rice balls on a small plate.
