Name: Rice with Apricots (Gheisi Polow)
Ingredients: 3 c Basmati rice; 1/2 c Olive oil; or less; 1 lb Lamb; cubed, optional or chicken, see note; 1 Onion; thinly sliced; 1 ts Salt; 1 ts Black pepper; 2 1/4 c Dried apricot halves; 1/2 c Raisins; 1/2 c Pitted dates; 1/4 c Crystallized ginger; sliced; 1 ts Ground rose petals; 1/2 ts Ground cardamom; 1/2 ts Ground cinnamon; 1/2 ts Ground nutmeg; 1/2 ts Cayenne pepper; optional; 4 tb Plain lowfat yogurt; 1 ts Ground saffron; dissolved in; 2 tb Hot water

The word of the Father by whom all time was created was made flesh and born in time for us. He without whose divine permission no day completes its course, wished to have one of those days for His human birth. In the bosom of His Father He existed before all the cycles of the ages. Born of an earthly mother, He entered on the course of the years on that very day. The maker of man became man that He ruler of the stars might be nourished at the breast, that He the bread might be hungry, that He the fountain might thirst, that He the light might sleep, that He the way might be wearied in the journey, that He the truth might be accused by false witnesses, that He the judge of the living and the dead might be brought to trial by a mortal judge, that He justice itself might be condemned by the unjust, that He discipline personified might be scourged with a whip, that He the foundation might be suspended on a cross, that He courage incarnate might be weak, and He security itself might be wounded, and He life itself might die.

Augustine

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Fruits, Meats	American	Fruit, Mcrecipe, Meats, Rice	6	Servings

INGREDIENTS

3	c	Basmati rice
1/2	c	Olive oil; or less
1	lb	Lamb; cubed, optional or chicken, see note
1		Onion; thinly sliced
1	ts	Salt
1	ts	Black pepper
2 1/4	c	Dried apricot halves
1/2	c	Raisins
1/2	c	Pitted dates
1/4	c	Crystallized ginger; sliced
1	ts	Ground rose petals
1/2	ts	Ground cardamom
1/2	ts	Ground cinnamon
1/2	ts	Ground nutmeg
1/2	ts	Cayenne pepper; optional
4	tb	Plain lowfat yogurt
1	ts	Ground saffron; dissolved in
2	tb	Hot water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pick over and wash 3 cups of rice 5 times in warm water. If using lon
grain American or Texmnati rice, it is not necessary to soak or wash five
times -- once is sufficient.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick skillet and saute meat and onion
over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, 1-1/2 cups water, and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a non-stick skillet and saute apricots,
raisins, dates, and ginger. Add spices, mix well, and set aside.
4. Bring 6 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large non-stick
pot. Pour the washed and drained rice into the pot. Boil briskly for 6 to
10 minutes stirring gently with a wooden spoon twice to loosen any grains
that n ay have stuck to the bottom. Drain rice in a large free-standing
sieve or strainer.
5. In a bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons oil, 1/2 cup water, 2 spatulas
full of rice 4 tablespoons yogurt and 1 tablespoon saffron water and spread
this mixture over the bottom of the pot to help make a golden crust (tah
dig).
6. Place 2 spatulas full of rice in the pot. Add 1 spatula full of the
apricot mixture and 1 spatula of the meat mixture. Repeat, alternating the
rice with the fruit and meat to make a pyramid. Cover and cook for 10
minutes over medium heat.
7. Pour 1 tablespoon oil over the rice, then add the remaining saffron
water.
8. Place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and
cover firmly with lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook another 50
minutes over low heat. Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool for 5
minutes on a damp surface without uncovering it.
9. Remove the lid and place a round serving dish over the pot. Hold the pot
and dish together tightly while flipping the pot to unmold the rice. The
rice will be like a cake and can then be garnished with edible flowers or
herbs and cut into wedges. Nush-e Jan!
MEAT: 1 pound boned leg of lamb, or chicken, cut in 1-inch cubes.
VARIATION: Mmake the rice without the meat and serve with grilled lamb
chops on the side or omitted completely.
TIME : 15 mins prep, 1 hr 20 mins cooking.
*REF: PERSIAN COOKING FOR A HEALTHY KITCHEN, by Najmieh Batmanglij (1997:
Mage) Publisher's url: http://www.mage.com/PC.html)
1998-Apr-16 Hanneman (MC-PER SERVING with lamb: 25% cff -- 833 calories,
23 g  fat)
Recipe by: PERSIAN COOKING FOR A HEALTHY KITCHEN by Najmieh Batmangli
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by KitPATh <phannema@wizard.ucr.edu> on Apr 16,
1998

A Message from our Provider:

“Misunderstood? No one understands like Jesus”

Again, self-love can produce a love for God through a lack of conviction of sin. Some people have no sense of the vileness of sin, and no sense of God’s infinite and holy opposition to it. They think God has no higher standards than they have! So they get on well with him and feel a sort of love for him, but they are loving an imaginary God, not the real God. Then there are others whose self-love produces a sort of love for God simply because of the material blessings they have received from His providence. There is nothing spiritual in this either!

Jonathan Edwards

Seven benefits of books over preached sermons: 1. You may read an able preacher when you have but a mean one to hear. 2. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers, but every single person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious. 3. Preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may be at hand. 4. Books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers. 5. We may choose books which treat that very subject which we desire to hear, but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat. 6. Books may be at hand every day and hour, when we cannot have sermons but seldom, and at set times. 7. If sermons are forgotten, they are gone, but a book we may read over and over till we remember it; and if we forget it, may again peruse it at our leisure, or at our pleasure.

Richard Baxter