Baghali Polo (Fava Bean with Dill Rice - aka Green Rice)

Ingredients:

3 cups basmati long grain rice

2 cups fava beans (peeled and shelled) - you can substitute green beans or lima beans if desired.

3 cups fresh dill (finely chopped)

8 whole garlic cloves

Potato slices (option for ta-dig)

Vegetable oil

Salt

1 generous pinch of saffron

1 sugar cube

Directions:

Boil the rice in a pot of water. Add 3 tablespoons salt to the water. Boil until rice is tender, but not cooked.

Strain rice. Place 1/2 cup of the rice in a separate pot. Crush the sugar cube and saffron together until finely ground up. Add 4 tablespoons boiling hot water. Mix well, add to the 1/2 cup rice. Cook this rice on low heat for 20 minutes. This is resevered for decoration on top of the rice.

Add 3 tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pot. It should be nicely coated. The bottom of the pot will make a ta-dig. This rice is most delicious with a potato ta-dig. If you like, slice a few potatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices and lay them evenly in the bottom of the pot.

Cover the potatoes with 1/3 of the rice. Add 1/3 of the dill and fava beans. Mix gently, do not stir. It does not have to be evenly spread. Add 4 of the garlic cloves, spread out.

Add another 1/3 of the rice, 1/3 of the dill and fava beans. Gently mix this portion. Add the remaining 4 cloves of garlic.

Add the remaining rice, dill and fava beans. Gently mix this top portion. Lightly salt the rice.

Add 1 cup water. Cover.

Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce head to medium and let cook additional 40 minutes. Rice should be soft and fluffy.

Plate the rice on a platter. Add the saffron rice on top for added color and decoration.

Serve the potato ta-dig on separate plate. This should be nice and crunchy.

Serve with fish, chicken, lamb or beef.

Noosha Jaan!