Sabzi Polo

Method

1. Put 100 g of basmati in a bowl and rinse under cold water, swirling with your fingers and pouring off the cloudy water four or five times, until it runs clear. Cover with fresh cold water, stir in 0.5 tsp of the salt and leave to soak for 1 hour — this is what gives the long, separate grains.
2. While the rice soaks, wash and dry the herbs thoroughly. Chop 40 g of parsley, 25 g of coriander, 20 g of dill and 20 g of chives very finely and toss them together with 1 garlic clove, minced. The herbs must be dry or they will steam into a green paste.
3. Bring a medium saucepan of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Drain the rice and tip it in. Boil hard for 4–5 minutes, then test a grain: it should be soft on the outside and still resist slightly in the centre. Drain at once in a sieve and rinse with a little lukewarm water to stop the cooking.
4. Wipe out the pan (or use a small non-stick one) and warm 1 tbsp of sunflower oil with 1 tablespoon of water over medium heat. Slice 1 potato into 5 mm rounds, pat dry, and lay them flat over the base in a single overlapping layer for the tahdig.