By: Pari Ardalan Malek
With the arrival of spring, it’s the best time to take advantage of fresh herbs and vegetables. Baghala Polo can be served with lamb or beef shanks or chicken.
Baghala Polo (Rice with Fava Beans and Dill)
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Servings: 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
Preparation:
• Wash meat and place in a pot with the onion, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. 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.
• Prepare rice per Peyk #107 (Jan/Feb 2007) online at www.pccus.org.
• Add the fava or lima beans (skin need not be removed, if of small variety) to the boiling rice, then drain together. To make rice crust, follow recipe in Peyk #107.
• Spoon 1/3 of the rice mixture into your cooking pot.
• Place the cooked lamb shanks in the center of the rice. Cover shanks with remaining rice, beans, and dill.
• If rice is not completely green, sprinkle some dried dill over the pot of rice.
• Steam rice for 45 minutes on medium heat.
• 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.
• Sprinkle remaining 2 teaspoons of liquid saffron over the rice in the pot and mix gently.
• Remove pot from heat and, using a spatula, gently dish 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 Kabob
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Servings: 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
Preparation:
• Except for hens, mix all ingredients for marinade.
• Pour over hens, cover, and marinate overnight in refrigerator.
• Broil 4 inches from heat, for 20-25 minutes.
• Turn hens once after 15 minutes for a golden color.
