I became a regular at Sofreh the minute Nasim Alikhani first flung open the doors to the chic Persian restaurant in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. I was irresistibly pulled in by her fragrant platters of duck fesenjan and fish with herbs and tamarind. No matter my order, though, I had to include adas polo ba khorma — Medjool date and lentil rice. A cinnamon-scented mound of soft basmati rice, lentils and dates sprinkled with saffron and rose water and garnished with crisp slivers of fried onion, it was the dish that most haunted me between visits.
So when the Sofreh cookbook came out last year, adas polo was naturally the first recipe I turned to. It’s an unfussy, weeknight version that Ms. Alikhani cooks at home for her family, and a lot simpler than the elaborate version at the restaurant. Made with pantry-friendly ingredients, it’s so delightful and easy that I adapted it for my column this week in The New York Times. The combination of rice and lentils simmered with spices and layered with caramelized onions, butter-warmed dates and herbs is perfection. A dollop of yogurt or a fried egg or two on top are all it needs to be a meal.
Featured Recipe
Adas Polo ba Khorma (Persian Lentil Rice With Dates)
Rice also plays a role in a traditional Thai larb, albeit a much smaller one. In Colu Henry’s herby pork larb with chile, the uncooked grains are toasted, and then pounded into powder before being added to the skillet with ground pork, shallot and fish sauce. You don’t need much; even a few tablespoons of toasted rice powder adds a nutty depth and body to the pungent, citrusy dish. If you don’t want to use pork, ground turkey or chicken make excellent substitutes.
Here’s a new workweek chicken recipe for you: Ali Slagle’s sticky chicken and brussels sprouts stir-fry. It unites two tangy-sweet dishes — teriyaki chicken breasts and balsamic brussels sprouts — into one blissfully quick skillet dinner. Serve it over rice or sweet potatoes for an easy midweek meal.
For a bracing, fiery recipe on the savory extremes of the flavor galaxy, Sarah DiGregorio’s shrimp in purgatory has the garlicky, chile-flaked sauciness of a Southern Italian eggs in purgatory, but starring succulent, sweet shrimp. I like this one over polenta or couscous for maximum red sauce absorption.
Pasta lovers, I haven’t forgotten you! How about giving Kenji López-Alt’s spaghetti aglio e olio e fried shallots a whirl? He uses store-bought fried shallots, which add a caramelized crunch to the classic garlic-and-oil pasta without any extra work. Of course, this being a Kenji recipe, he also gives instructions for making fried shallots from scratch should you be so inclined. Whether store-bought or homemade, once you’ve got ’em, you’ll want to put ’em on everything. Come to think of it, they would be excellent on the adas polo.
And for dessert, have you ever made a chocolate mug cake? This moist and fudgy confection requires just a few ingredients, your prettiest mug and less than five minutes in your microwave. A garnish of rainbow sprinkles on top isn’t at all necessary but does add a festive touch.
As always, you do need to subscribe to get these recipes and the thousands upon thousands of others we have at New York Times Cooking. If you need any technical advice, send an email to cookingcare@nytimes.com for help. And if you’d like to say hi, I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com.
That’s it for now. See you on Wednesday.
