The historical record
One name, differing preparations
Iranica places green-bean rice among Iranian mixed-rice dishes. Its Beans entry also records a dill-containing version, illustrating that one name can cover differing preparations.
History & origins
The history of Loobia Polo
Mixed rice and the arrival of newer crops
Iran · mixed-rice traditions
A Qajar-era banquet at Golestan Palace, circa 1870–1880. This archival scene offers period context; it is not presented as a photograph of this particular recipe.
Attributed to Yahya Ghaffari Sani' al-Mulk II · Wikimedia Commons · Public domainOrigins & development
Newer ingredients in Qajar food history
Iranica's Qajar cuisine survey connects the dish's development with the arrival of newer ingredients such as green beans and tomatoes. That is historical context, not a precise birth date.
A hand-colored 1818 map by John Pinkerton. Historic borders and spellings reflect the map’s own period; the overlay is an editorial guide to culinary geography, not a territorial claim.
The marker indicates a broad Iranian culinary tradition—not a proven point of invention.
John Pinkerton · Wikimedia Commons · Public domainAt the Persian table
The household version
Loobia polo here means green-bean rice, not rice with dried beans. Household versions differ in meat cut and seasoning; this tomato-based version has no dill, so the green beans and gentle cinnamon remain distinct.