Iranian Rice with Beans and Dill Weed (Baqala Polo)
"This is one of the most amazing dishes I've ever eaten. Rich and savory!"
- Ready In:
- 1hr 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 3 cups long-grain rice, well-rinsed
- 8 cups water
- salt
- 1⁄4 cup melted margarine
- 1⁄8 teaspoon saffron, dissolved in 2 tbs warm water (optional)
- 1 lb frozen lima beans
- 1⁄4 cup dried dill weed, or 3/4 cup fresh
-
Iranian Yogurt and Spinach (Borani-Ye Esfenaj)
- 1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen
- 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons margarine or 2 tablespoons oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup soy yogurt
directions
- Cook lima beans until done.
- Drain.
- Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Add rice to water.
- Boil 5-10 minutes , until rice is no longer crunchy, but still firm.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Drain rice in colander.
- Mix beans and dill weed with the rice.
- Put half of the melted margarine in the bottom of the rice pot.
- Put the rice back into the pot, a spoonful at a time, heaping it into a mound, not touching sides of pot.
- With a chopstick or similar tool, poke holes in the rice in several places.
- Pour the remaining melted margarine over the rice.
- Cover the underside of the pot lid with a dish towel, and put lid tightly on pot.
- Cook rice about 20 minutes over medium heat, then turn heat to low, and cook for another 30 minutes.
- The rice on the bottom of the pot should become golden and crispy.
- Soak bottom of pot in cold water for a few minutes, to loosen this.
- Put rice onto a serving platter, surrounded by chunks of crispy rice.
- Take 2/3 cup of the rice, mix it with the dissolved saffron, and sprinkle over the rest of the rice as a garnish.
- Cook spinach in lightly salted water until tender
- Drain well.
- Chop.
- Set aside.
- Heat margarine or oil in a pan.
- Add onions, and fry until golden.
- Add spinach and fry together briefly.
- Turn off heat.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to serving bowl or dish.
- Mix in yogurt.
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Reviews
-
When we were in Iran (5 years) we would make this with lentel beans. Yogurt with onion and cummbers. Alot of fresh sliced veg. -
this is a really good dish to make i used a little turmeric with my cheap saffron , it just helped
-
Absolutely stunningly DELICIOUS!!! Made for Visiting Iran in the NA/ME Forum 6/12. -
Amazing recipe...the yogurt recipe is good on its own or on bread. -
It's amazing how this recipe will grow on you the more you eat it. And who could think that five ingredients (rice, saffron, oil, beans, and dill) could make such an exquisite dish. It's the Persian technique of cooking the rice, mounded and steamed in it's own moisture, that makes it so special. I first tasted this recipe when a Persian friend cooked it for me. He made it slightly different - he made layers out of the rice - beans - cooked chicken - dill, rice - beans - cooked chicken - dill, and so on until he ran out of ingredients. Then he steamed the whole thing (the 20 - 30 minute rice cooking part). This recipe is just as good, and I am so glad I could capture this recipe after all this time. Now, poster, do you have a good recipe for Kalam Palau?
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Carol Bullock
Bellevue, WA
As an ethical vegan, I'm always on the lookout for tasty, cruelty-free meals. I work in the medical field, but my heart lies with anything and everything relating to animal welfare. I share my home with two each furry (cats) and feathered friends. Something I'd like to encourage all chefs is, don't be afraid to experiment! I'm not always really specific about measurements, and that's because I go by feel, so if you want to add a little more or a little less -by all means!
