Persian fava and dill pilaf (Baghali polo)

June 8, 2018  •  Category: ,

One of my very favorite pilafs! Its ideal in the Spring too, because the fava beans are in season, and the wild dill can be found everywhere in the mountains and fields nearby. I am truly sorry if these mountains are not a practical option, and if you do not grow fav beans in your kitchen garden, you would then need to seek out a farmers market or get the beans frozen and the dill in a jar.

Its a dish that is originally from Iran, although it is also popular in Iraq and served there without the saffron and with lamb shanks.


Its a very simple dish, although time-consuming. Shelling the fav beans is a test of one’s patience and if there is a youngster nearby willing to do it in exchange for a treat or some cash, I’d jump at the opportunity!  Basically, I cook the rice iranian-style (parboiled first, then layered with the ingredients and steamed for 45 minutes). Once the dill is foraged, I clean it, dry it, remove the hard stalks and chop it extra fine. The rice is rinsed first and left to soak in salty water for a couple of hours. The beans are shelled, then each bean is peeled (the skin is very thick and hard on a delicate stomach).

The Iranian version (as opposed to the Iraqi version) adds saffron to the pilaf. I love it, as it adds a flowery scent that is very pleasant. You can also make it without. Sahtein!

 

Fava bean and Dill pilaf

Joumana Accad Mediterranean, Middle Eastern June 8, 2018 Whole Grain/Bulgur/Rice, Main Dish, persian, vegetarian, pilaf, Iranian, iranianfood, dill, fava bean, tagged,

6 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Passive Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in salty water for one hour or longer

3 cups fresh chopped dill, chopped very fine

3 cups fava beans, peeled

salt, to taste

1/2 tsp saffron, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water

1/2 tsp white pepper (optional)

3/4 cup melted butter or oil

3/4 cup water

3 cups plain yogurt

 

Instructions

  1. Drain the rice, and place it in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and boil for 4 minutes till grains are cooked but still firm. Drain pot.
  2. Pour half the butter in a large nonstick pot, add half the rice and saffron water. Add the dill sprinkled evenly throughout, and the fava beans, and season the pilaf. Add the rice on top. Make 3 or 4 holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon and pour the remaining butter and water all over. Cover the lid with a towel and seal the pot. Place over medium heat for 10 minutes then lower the heat to very low and leave for the remainder of the 45 minutes.
  3. After 45 minutes, open the pot, check the rice, and toss it a bit to combine the ingredients. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately with plain yogurt.


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Comments

6 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Doc says:

    Because the decision to make rice is often made late, I needed to know how quickly I could have it ready. After a number of trials, the fastest route I have found to making the rice is to wash and soak it for a minimum of 30 min (for white basmati, thicker grains need a little more – like 45 min), in parallel bring water to a boil (2 liters + 30g salt), strain and drop in soaked rice, start timer, and boil for 5 min from the time you drop it in. Drain but do not wash rice. Now you are ready for the final steaming. Not quite as fast as a rice cooker, but better.

  2. Al-Masri says:

    Do you think I can use even dried fava beans? In my city is very hard to find the fresh ones.

    • Joumana says:

      Sure, but I would use frozen butter beans or fava beans. You can probably find these frozen in Arab groceries or Iranian markets. The taste of dried is different. How about fresh peas instead?

  3. Jasmine Heureux says:

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  4. bedroom says:

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  5. mobasir hassan says:

    pilaf which is known as pulao in our country is one of our favorite dish. This pilaf or pulao get a heavenly touch by my mom during EIDs. We can not forget this recipe and thank you for sharing this version of pilaf recipe. And i am sure to try this one .

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