Baghali Polo

Name: Baghali Polo
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H20M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: persian
Ingredients: 1/4 teaspoon saffron; 2 cups basmati rice; Kosher salt; 1 pound frozen fava beans, partially thawed (see Cook’s Note); 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 2 small bunches fresh dill, chopped (about 1 cup chopped); 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; 3 tablespoons dry dill

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Level: Easy

Total: 1 hr
Active: 20 min

Yield: 6 servings

Baghali polo is a fragrant Persian rice dish that features fava beans, dill and saffron. It’s traditionally served with lamb shanks (mahicheh), but it’s also popular alongside other meats and stews. The technique for cooking baghali polo is similar to that for rice with tahdig, where the rice forms the crispy topping. In this version of the dish, a layer of potato slices becomes the crispy tahdig. You can find frozen green fava beans in some supermarkets and stores specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ingredients; canned brown fava beans have a different texture and flavor, so they aren’t a good substitute in this recipe.

Level: Easy

Total: 1 hr
Active: 20 min

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

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1/4 teaspoon saffron

2 cups basmati rice

Kosher salt

1 pound frozen fava beans, partially thawed (see Cook’s Note)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 small bunches fresh dill, chopped (about 1 cup chopped)

2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons dry dill

Directions

Grind the saffron in a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle it over 2 cubes of ice in a cup and let the ice melt; this blooms the saffron.
Rinse the basmati rice 3 to 5 times until the water runs almost clear. Bring a large wide pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the rice. Cook for 6 minutes. Add the fava beans and fresh dill and cook for 1 more minute. Drain into a colander, rinse quickly with cold water and set aside.
Pour the oil into the same pot. Add 1 tablespoon of the bloomed saffron. Arrange the potato slices in one single layer at the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Gently add half of the rice, sprinkle the dried dill over the rice and top with the remaining half of the rice. Shape the rice into a mound. Poke 5 holes into the rice with the end of a spoon to let excess steam to escape. Wrap the lid of the pot in a clean kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Put the pot over medium heat and cook until the rice starts steaming, about 15 minutes.
Pour 1/4 cup water around the edges of the pan, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 more minutes. Drizzle the remaining bloomed saffron over the rice, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit for 5 minutes before serving.
To serve, gently scoop the rice onto a serving platter and arrange the cooked potato slices around the rice.

Cook’s Note

Some frozen fava beans come with a white outer skin still encasing each bean. If yours do, use your fingers to remove the skins before adding the beans to the rice.