Baghala Polo

Baghala Polo

From: The Joy of Persian Cooking
By: Pari Ardalan Malek

Baghala Polo
(Rice with fava beans and dill)

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Serves: 7-9 persons

Ingredients: 3 cups rice; 5 cups fava beans or 5 cups frozen baby lima beans; 3 cups chopped fresh dill; 3-4 tablespoons dried dill; 6 lamb shanks; 3 bay leaves; 1 medium chopped onion; ½ teaspoon salt; 3 teaspoons liquid saffron

Directions:

  1. Wash meat and place in a pot with the onion, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. (Baghala polo can also be served with beef or chicken, but this recipe will concentrate on lamb.) Bring to a boil, remove foam from the top, and cook on medium heat for one hour.  Drain meat, reserve juice, and set aside separately.
  2. Prepare rice per Peyk #107 (January/February 2007) online at www.pccus.org
  3. Add the fava or lima beans (skin does not need to be removed, if small variety) to the boiling rice, then drain together.  To make rice crust, follow recipe in Peyk # 107.
  4. Spoon 1/3 of the rice mixture into your cooking pot.
  5. Place the cooked lamb shanks in the center of the rice.  Cover shanks with remaining rice, beans, and dill.
  6. If rice is not completely green, sprinkle some dried dill over the pot of rice.
  7. Steam rice for 45 minutes on medium heat.
  8. Gently remove 1 cup of the rice (from the top of the pot) onto a separate plate, add 1 teaspoon of liquid saffron to this plate, mix gently with the rice, and reserve for garnish.
  9. Sprinkle remaining 2 teaspoons of liquid saffron over the rice in the pot and mix gently.
  10. Remove pot from heat and, with a spatula, gently dish out the mixture onto your serving platter, placing the cooked shanks in the middle of the rice.  Garnish with saffron rice (step 8) and serve.

Cornish Game Hen Kabab 

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Serves: 5-7 persons
This dish can be served with Baghala Polo (above) in place of lamb shanks.

Ingredients: 4 Cornish game hens; 2 teaspoons thyme; 2 teaspoons rosemary; ½ cup fresh lemon juice; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons oregano; 4 minced garlic cloves; ¼ cup oil

Directions:

  1. Except for hens, mix all ingredients for marinade.
  2. Pour over hens, cover, and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  3. Broil hens in marinade (four inches from heat source) for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Turn hens once after 15 minutes for a golden color.
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