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    Home » Recipes » Main

    Published: Aug 18, 2014 · Modified: May 11, 2020 by Bita Cyrus · 32 Comments

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)-11

    The other night I really just wanted something super simple and comforting for dinner. It was a no-fuss kind of night for me. So I called up my mom and asked her how she used to make suti polo, or rice cooked in milk with raisins (and traditionally, dates as well). It’s one of those meals you make when you don’t have much going on in the fridge, maybe you’re tired, and maybe you feel like some carb-lovin’. Don’t be ashamed! That’s healthy in my book! Our parents’ and grandparents’ generations didn’t worry so much about that stuff and look where the worrying has gotten us now. So give yourself some love and use good, honest ingredients to make a wholesome meal.

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)

    I feel like I have to explain myself so people don’t get too worked up. I’m not saying, "Go eat a block of cheese and forever live in bliss." It’s just that I think we are too scared of real ingredients these days. Butter was always fine. It was good. Then margarine took over, and that was a hot mess moment, wasn’t it? Now butter is making its way back but a ton of people don’t know what to do with it anymore. Should I eat it all up? Or not at all? Maybe not exactly that, but remember the old adage, “everything in moderation, even moderation?” Yea… that!

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)-3

    Ok, back to suti polo, Bita! So, suti polo-- I love the simplicity of this warm, comforting dish. It’s so simple and just so darn tasty! It’s an old recipe from my family’s hometown of Ardebil, in the Azerbaijan region of northwest Iran. My mom would sometimes make this dish for taking on road trips. The idea of that makes me chuckle a little now, but for some reason, it makes for a really good road trip meal! It does!

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)-4

    My husband and I had it for dinner the other night and it was so tasty with the plump raisins that are lightly sauteed, giving them such a deeper, richer flavor. The whole milk makes the rice really substantial and yummy. If you have an aversion to whole milk, that makes me sad, but of course you can use whatever milk you like.

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)-7

    If you try this recipe when you’re tired and just want something simple and comforting (or even if you’re all pumped up and want some yummy goodness), do let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy it! And as we say, noosheh jaan (nourishment for your soul)!

    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)-12

    Recipe

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    Rice Cooked in Milk with Raisins (Suti Polo)

    Course Main
    Cuisine Persian
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 471kcal
    Author Honest and Tasty

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or ghee
    • 2 tablespoon butter ¼ stick
    • 1 cup raisins

    Instructions

    Rinse the uncooked rice until water starts to run clear. Put rice into a medium sized pot (nonstick is preferred) and add milk, salt, and olive oil. Give a quick stir and put heat on medium with lid on but not closed all the way. Be very careful as the milk will boil over rapidly if not watched. If it starts rising, just turn down the heat a bit or move the pot off the heat for a second before placing it back on the burner. While waiting for the rice to cook, add raisins and butter to a small pot on med-low heat. Stir raisins around in the butter to lightly saute, and after a minute or two you can remove the pot from the heat. Next, when the milk is just about fully absorbed into the rice (about 10 minutes after boiling) pour the raisins and the butter into the rice and turn the heat to low with the lid on for 10 more minutes before serving. If you like, you can add a small pad of butter to your bowl of rice for extra flavor and richness.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 485mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 380IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 1mg

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Negar Cyrus says

        August 23, 2014 at 2:52 pm

        I will have to try this! So simple and will definitely fit right into my hectic schedule

        Reply
        • Jennifer Roman says

          August 28, 2020 at 5:12 pm

          5 stars
          I am 43 years old and my great-grandmother who live to be a hundred four years old always made rice and raisins. And she always used heavy cream from our farm but I got married to a Puerto rican man and discovered that instead of heavy cream if you use horchata it is so much better just add a ton of cinnamon and it tastes so so so so good. Enjoy cooking and much love!

          Reply
          • Evon says

            February 14, 2021 at 5:58 pm

            I made it but my rice did not get done before my milk was all absorbed. So I am wondering what I did wrong

            Reply
      2. teifionmorgan a says

        August 26, 2015 at 4:59 pm

        5 stars
        I am 85 but I will do this I'm the morning,but as I am on my own I will try half a cup thank you

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          August 31, 2015 at 11:18 pm

          That's great! I really hope you enjoy it! 🙂 🙂

          Reply
      3. Lori Hall says

        November 23, 2015 at 4:40 pm

        5 stars
        My maternal grandmother (who would be 118 this month) wasn't Persian, but she used to make this very thing, except with your every day white rice. It was so simple and good. Thanks for sharing! I was looking for this recipe and she never wrote it down.

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          November 24, 2015 at 1:12 pm

          That's so heartwarming to learn about, Lori! Thank you for taking a moment to let me know. I hope you enjoy this recipe and I hope it brings back wonderful feelings/memories. Xoxo!

          Reply
      4. Jan says

        January 27, 2016 at 11:58 am

        Hi! I'm so glad to have found this recipe! My mother was a Kansas farmgirl and used to make this for breakfast for my brother and I. It was recommended by our family doctor!! Shows how the times have changed. I made it following your recipe and it was delicious! The next time I made it I made it with coconut milk (the real thing) and dried mangoes and it was really good (talk about carb city) Anyway, thank you so much for this delicious simple stick to your ribs recipe!!

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          February 01, 2016 at 2:14 pm

          Jan, I love hearing stories like yours! Thanks for sharing it with me. Also, your idea is genius and sounds delish! I should give it a go! xoxo

          Reply
      5. Chris says

        February 27, 2016 at 10:22 am

        5 stars
        My mother made something like this but would sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top and then drizzle some lightly browned butter over that. Decadent but amazing!

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          March 02, 2016 at 1:53 pm

          Oooo that sounds fabulous!

          Reply
      6. Bill Kirsch says

        June 21, 2016 at 4:34 pm

        5 stars
        My grandmother used to make this for me all the time. I'm 45 and never heard of anyone else making rice and raisins. She use to put a little sugar in the rice. I love it..

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          June 28, 2016 at 2:04 pm

          That's so cool to hear! Just like you, I never heard of anyone else making it and thought people would completely scoff at the idea when I first posted. Now I hear that grandmothers around the world have been making it for ages! 😀

          Reply
          • Maryam says

            February 19, 2022 at 7:23 am

            4 stars
            Ya lol...thanks for this recipe.I tried it and loved it 🙂

            Reply
      7. Dane says

        October 27, 2016 at 3:01 pm

        5 stars
        My mom made us white rice with raisins, sweet with sugar ... growing up when we were sick. Just lost mom two weeks ago, and Dad's not feeling well. The pot is on the stove, simmering ....

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          October 28, 2016 at 1:52 pm

          Dane, I'm so sorry about your mom. I hope your Dad feels better very soon. Thank you for leaving your comment, it means so much and I'm happy if this recipe can provide an ounce of comfort for you. I'm sending well wishes your way.

          Reply
      8. Mary Cerra says

        January 21, 2020 at 1:28 am

        5 stars
        It's 3:15 AM in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. After scrolling through hundreds of rice with raisans recipes I decided on this one! The sweet memories of a carefree youth will be relived in about 10 minutes. I already rated this recipe 5 stars! I have no doubt it will be as delicious as it was 50+ years ago. Thanks for the memories. 🥣

        Reply
        • honestandtasty says

          May 11, 2020 at 5:36 pm

          Thank you, Mary! I love to hear that! Enjoy! <3

          Reply
      9. Pamela S Risbeck says

        March 24, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        3 stars
        I never even heard of this and my boyfriend just asked me to make it so I googled it and your recipe popped up so I am getting ready to make it right now. This is the first time I've ever tried it. But thank you

        Reply
      10. Jennifer Roman says

        August 28, 2020 at 5:13 pm

        5 stars
        I am 43 years old and my great-grandmother who live to be a hundred four years old always made rice and raisins. And she always used heavy cream from our farm but I got married to a Puerto rican man and discovered that instead of heavy cream if you use horchata it is so much better just add a ton of cinnamon and it tastes so so so so good. Enjoy cooking and much love!

        Reply
      11. Zamagugu Kutwana says

        September 13, 2020 at 1:45 am

        Never heard of rice cooked with milk ,, I was googling rice with raisins so it popped out ,will try it hope won't be disappointed

        Reply
      12. Ionathan says

        October 25, 2021 at 5:52 pm

        I'm in Argentina and tried it. Had to use white rice and added some cooked almonds. I really liked it! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
        • D'Anne Sano says

          October 08, 2024 at 8:32 am

          5 stars
          my mom and grandmother use to make this for us kids back in the 50's and 60's loved it then and love it now. Thank you for the memories

          Reply
          • Bita Cyrus says

            March 19, 2025 at 11:04 pm

            I really love seeing all these stories with similarities for this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

            Reply
      13. Ray says

        March 24, 2022 at 1:37 pm

        Can you use almond milk?

        Reply
        • Jodi Blunt says

          July 22, 2022 at 4:08 am

          I was wondering the same thing! I had rice and raisins from my grandmother when I was younger. I'm 41 years old now and haven't had milk since I was about 12. She used to use white rice some made raisins add milk and sugar and it was perfect perfect with just a dash of cinnamon🥰I realize this is an old post, but I'm gonna give it a whirl with my almond milk...hope it goes well for you also!

          Reply
      14. Mary Andringa says

        October 06, 2023 at 8:59 pm

        My mother made this recipe except she added cinnamon and sugar to it. We had it on Saturday or Sunday evenings. We had a family of eight and everyone loved it. Her parents were immigrants from Holland and she said her mother ate it as a child as well. I am looking forward to making it again. Thanks for the recipe as I didn’t write it down and couldn’t find it in mom’s cookbooks.

        Reply
      15. Tammy Ecott says

        October 23, 2023 at 10:05 pm

        I’m 65, and my mom and dad is to give us rice with milk, raisins, and sugar for breakfast. Sometimes before we went to school, it was delicious They would cook the rice off and rinse it, then put whole milk over it with sugar and raisins, and it was delicious between the cold milk and the warm rice, especially in the winter. I just made some as a snack before going to bed, you can cook the rice of ahead of time. Just have it in the fridge and reheat it. That’s what I do. Yum.

        Reply
      16. Tammy Ecott says

        October 23, 2023 at 10:06 pm

        I’m 65, and my mom and dad used to give us rice with milk, raisins, and sugar for breakfast. Sometimes before we went to school, it was delicious They would cook the rice off and rinse it, then put whole milk over it with sugar and raisins, and it was delicious between the cold milk and the warm rice, especially in the winter. I just made some as a snack before going to bed, you can cook the rice off ahead of time. Just have it in the fridge and reheat it. That’s what I do. Yum.

        Reply
      17. Cindy Ficklin says

        January 11, 2025 at 2:51 pm

        Hi. My mom used to make this for us growing up and we loved it. (I always thought it was her invention - she was always experimenting with us!) We refused to eat some of her creations and boy did that make her mad!
        Anyway, I was so happy to come across this recipe for rice & raisins. It brings back happy memories. Thank you. 😊

        Reply
        • Bita Cyrus says

          March 19, 2025 at 11:00 pm

          Aw that's awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing. Love these stories! Looks like many people had a similar experience with this recipe!

          Reply
        • Bita Cyrus says

          March 19, 2025 at 11:07 pm

          So wonderful and sweet! Thanks for sharing!

          Reply

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