Baghali Polo Food

BAGHALI POLO

Steps:

• Combine the rice, salt, olive oil and 3 cups water in a medium pot with a lid over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, and let it bubble, uncovered, until the water evaporates. (When the water is all gone, the rice should be about half-cooked.) Turn the heat to low.
• Add the fresh or dried dill and the garlic powder, and stir with a fork. Spread the beans out over the top of the rice, cover the pot and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, add the butter, cover the pot and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the butter melts. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.

BAGHALI POLO - PERSIAN RICE WITH LIMA BEANS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, saute the onion and lima beans over medium heat for about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine saffron water and yogurt. Add 1/2 cup of your basmati rice to this bowl and mix.
• In a large pot, add enough water to thinly cover the bottom. Add 3 tablespoons canola oil and give it a swirl so the water and oil mix.
• Layer the bottom of the pot with the rice and yogurt mixture.
• Add a handful of chopped dill to the pot then cover with a small layer of rice.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of advieh over the rice.
• Add a generous layer of lima beans.
• Add a generous layer of chopped dill.
• Gently mix the rice, fava beans, and dill.
• Continue layering until you are out of both rice and the vegetables. You should finish with a layer of rice. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of advieh on top.
• With the end of a spatula, make holes around the perimeter of the pot, making sure you don't pass the yogurt-rice layer.
• Cover and on high for 10 minutes.
• Place a towel on top of the pot and cover tightly. Cook on medium-low for 1 hour.
• Halfway through the cooking process, drizzle 2 tablespoons of melted butter or oil over the rice. If you'd like, you can also add a pinch of saffron to the butter or oil too.

"BAGHALI POLO" - PERSIAN DILL AND FAVA BEAN RICE

Steps:

• Place rice in a large bowl and fill with water. Once you see the water turn cloudy, drain all the water from the bowl. Repeat this until the water is almost clear - about 3 to 4 times. Drain all the water out and set aside.
• Bring about 2-3 cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Once boiling, add in fava beans, and let cook for about 2-3 minutes, until just tender.
• Drain lima beans, and place in a bowl with dill, turmeric, and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• Bring about 5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add in about 1 tbsp salt. Add in basmati rice and let cook for 5-6 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked - it should be soft but still have a "bite" to it - kind of like cooking pasta to "al dente.".
• Drain the rice into a colander. Place pot back on the burner and remove any excess water left behind. Add in oil, make sure it covers the entire bottom of the pot.
• If you want to have tahdig (the deliciously crispy bottom of most Persian rice dishes), place the bread on the bottom of the pot over the oil, and try to cover as much of the bottom as possible without it curling up on the sides.
• Add rice back to pot as well as dill-fava bean mixture. Stir to combine and try to shape the rice mixture so that most of the rice piles up in the center like a little hill. Cut butter into smaller chunks and place on top. Poke a few holes in the rice with the end of a wooden spoon to let the steam out.
• Cover the pot with a paper towel large enough to cover the full diameter (this helps to keep the rice from getting mushy). Place lid on, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes (if making tahdig), then reduce heat to low for remaining 30 minutes. If you are not making tahdig, then just let it steam on low for 40-45 minutes.
• Remove lid, stir and fluff rice, and serve with your favorite meat or seafood entrée! Enjoy!

BAHGALI POLO

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse rice and transfer to a large bowl. Pour enough water over the rice to cover by a few inches and soak for 1 hour; drain.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Cook lima beans in boiling water until tender, 7 to 10 minutes; drain.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and rice to the boiling water and cook until rice is partially softened, about 11 minutes; drain.
• Season lamb with cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir lamb in melted butter until completely browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer lamb to a bowl. Cook and stir onion in skillet until translucent, about 7 minutes. Return lamb to skillet; add dill and cooked lima beans. Remove skillet from heat.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon hot water. Spoon about 1/3 the partially cooked rice into the saucepan. Layer about half the lamb mixture over the rice layer. Repeat layering 1/2 the remaining rice, the remaining lamb mixture, and finishing with the remaining rice. Cut the remaining 3 tablespoons butter into cubes and arrange atop the top rice layer.
• Place a cover on the saucepan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the rice is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes before serving with yogurt.