Rice with Fava Beans and Dill (Baghali Polo)

I was looking for a quick and easy side dish recipe to make for dinner the other night. I knew I didn't have much more than 30 minutes and wanted to make a rice dish. I remember having a delicious Persian rice with fava beans and dill as a child and began looking for an easy version of this recipe. I wanted to stick with simple ingredients and didn't want to go as far as making tahdig (a crunchy, delicious crust on some Persian rice dishes). After searching through a few recipes, I found this one which had a simple ingredient list and sounded reminiscent of the rice I had enjoyed as a child. This side dish did not fail. I am sure this is not 100% authentic, but the flavor is fantastic. What I love about this variation as well is that your prepare the rice separately, then add the other ingredients. This way I can keep some plain rice on the side for any picky eaters in the group. Enjoy this rice wish some Persian chicken kabobs or just about any meal.

Adapted from Food52

2 cups basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
4 tablespoons butter, separated
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 cups water
salt
1 pound fava beans or lime beans, either fresh, or frozen and thawed
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 1 tablespoon of hot water

Place your rice in a strainer and run cold water over it until the water runs off clear (to remove any extra starch). If you're in a pinch and did not have time to soak the rice, place the rice in your strained and run under cold water until the water runs off clear. Heat a larger pot over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the drained rice and sir with the butter, ensuring each grain is coated. Add the bouillon cube and water. Once almost boiling break apart the bouillon cube so it's evenly distributed. When it begins to boil, place the lid on your pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, until rice is cooked through.

In the meantime, heat a small pot of water. Once boiling, add the favas and cooked for 2 minutes, until just tender. Drain the favas and run under cold water for a minute. Heat the last 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet or pan. Add the cooked favas and saute for 3 minutes. Mix in the dill and cook until the dill is wilted, about 1 minute.

When the rice is cooked, stir in the favas with dill. Drizzle with the saffron and mix until combined. Season with salt as needed.


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