Baghali Polo is a Persian fava bean rice and my favorite dish since childhood. Crispy tahdig and beautiful fluffy rice layered with dill and fresh or frozen fava beans. Commonly served with lamb or chicken, or my vegetarian saffron chickpea stew...YUM!
Fun fact Baghali Polo was my number one favorite dish throughout childhood. When I was a toddler, I couldn't pronounce the name correctly and would call it “birthday polo” and would request it every year on my birthday. To this day I still call it birthday polo with my family 😊. It's a popular Persian rice dish that consists of fluffy basmati rice layered with dill and fava beans, are also known as broad beans. 'Baghali' translates to fava beans and 'Polo' translates to rice in Farsi.
Oh and you cant forget the crispy tahdig which comes from the bottom of the pot which is everyone's favorite part! Here I'll show you a traditional recipe to make baghali polo my mama taught me, passed down from my grandma. I've simplified the steps to make it easier to follow and a much quicker recipe that anyone can make! I've also used frozen fava beans and dried dill weed which are available all year round, when you can't get a hold of the fresh substitutes.
Traditionally baghali polo is served alongside a meat stew, commonly braised lamb shanks known as mahiche, or saffron chicken stew. As I no longer eat meat, I love to enjoy it with my saffron chickpea stew using the same Persian flavors. You can serve it with your favorite protein, even fish. As a child, we actually loved eating it with canned tuna as a quick weeknight dinner, which also tastes great. I love sharing vegetarian versions of Persian dishes which taste just as good including ghormeh sabzi, makaroni and kotlet to name a few.
Rice is a crutial part of Persian cuisine and we eat it with most of our main dishes. We commonly flavor the rice and add additional ingredients such as veggies, legumes and herbs, all of which are made with crispy tahdig 😊.
Some other Persian rice dishes I've shared are:
- Lubia polo - green bean rice
- Sabzi polo - herb rice and
- Adas polo - lentil rice, a favorite of mine
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe special
- Easy Steps: Simplified steps to follow, even for first-time Persian cooks
- Traditional: A popular dish that's enjoyed by all Persians, here is an authentic recipe passed down generations
- Healthy: Packed with protein and fiber from the basmati rice and fava beans
- Versatile: Serve with meats, stews, fish, veggies or enjoy on its own
What is Baghali Polo?
Baghali Polo is a traditional Persian rice dish made with fava beans, are also known as broad beans. Baghali = fava beans, Polo = rice in the farsi language. It also consists of fresh or dried dill weed added through the rice layers and fava beans all cooked in the one pot.
What are Fava Beans?
Fava beans are large green flat beans also known as broad beans. They look a little similar to edamame beans but much larger once de-shelled. They have a buttery soft taste once cooked and they are very popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Basmati rice is long-grain rice and the most common rice used in Persian cuisine for the perfect fluffy rice. You can use any long-grain rice however we tend to use Indian rice for it's lovely aroma and flavor
- Fava beans are the star today, they're also commonly called broad beans and are large flat green beans which have a lovely soft texture and buttery flavor once cooked. Use fresh fava beans or frozen, lima beans could work as a substitute but I've never tested this
- Dried dill weed is added to the layers of rice providing a lovely fresh aroma, flavor and green color. Fresh dill can be used if in season, only add the finely chopped leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil is used for the bottom the pot to crisp up the rice layer and create a golden tahdig. Vegetable oil or melted butter is also commonly used
- Saffron is optional, but adds the signature yellow color, flavor and aroma and frequently used in Persian cooking - such as in saffron rice and even ice cream! Whilst expensive, a little goes a long way, so be sure to follow my recipe to make saffron infused water. Turmeric isn't the best substitute, whilst it will add color, the flavor won't be the same
- Advieh is an optional Persian spice mix made with a mix of ground cumin, cinnamon, dried rose petals, nutmeg and cardamom. You can find it at your local Persian supermarket but as a substitute, you can also use a mix of cinnamon, cumin and nutmeg or simply omit
How to make Baghali Polo - Persian Fava Bean Rice
Baghali Polo at its heart, is rice, herbs, and fava beans layered together, then steamed until fluffy with a golden, crispy bottom called tahdig. I'll show you how to make it with these simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)
Add the rice to a nonstick pot and rinse under cold water until it runs almost clear
Fill the pot with clean water (about 6-8 cups) and add the salt. Place over a medium-high heat and allow to boil for 10–15 minutes to partially cook the rice
While rice boils, peel the shells off the fava beans. If using frozen, soak in a bowl of water to thaw slightly
Optional, add ground saffron to a small ramekin with a few tablespoons of boiling water to allow it to infuse
Once the rice is al dente, gently stir in the fava beans and cook for 1–2 minutes
Drain the rice and beans into a colander and lightly rinse with cold water
Start layering - to a pot add olive oil and a spoon of saffron water (if using). Add ¼ of the rice and sprinkle with ¼ of the dried dill weed, lightly mix into the rice
Repeat 3 more times with the remaining rice and dried dill. *Optionally add a drizzle of saffron water and advieh to the layers if using
Use the handle of a spoon to poke holes down to the bottom. Then drizzle with saffron water or a splash of regular water
Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel, cover the pot, and cook on low for 45 minutes. Turn up to medium-high for the last 3 minutes for that golden tahdig - watch closely!
Remove the lid and place a large dish/platter on the pot and flip upside down. Carefully lift the pot and reveal your gorgeous Baghali Polo with crispy tahdig!
Serve with my saffron chickpea stew, lamb shanks (maiche) or preferred protein and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Always rinse the basmati rice several times to remove excess starch, this keeps the grains from sticking
- If using frozen beans, thaw in a bowl of water to help de-shell them faster
- For the perfect tahdig, always use a non stick pot and dont be shy on the oil/butter so the rice doesn't burn and get stuck to the bottom
- Use a clean kitchen towel around the lid when steaming to absorb excess moisture and condensation so it cooks nice and slow
- Add slices of potato or thin flatbread such as lavash for tahdig variations! Simply place them after the oil has been added to the pot, prior to adding the layers of rice
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat in a pan or pot over medium heat with a splash of water to steam and heat the rice, you can also microwave
- Persian rice freezes well too. Allow the rice to cool and store in freezer safe airtight containers or freezer bags for a month, without the tahdig
- Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours then reheat as per above
FAQs
Fava beans are large green flat beans also known as broad beans. They have a delicious buttery taste and are nice and tender once cooked
Commonly served with braised lamb shanks (maiche), chicken or meat stew, or my saffron chickpea stew simmered with onions, garlic and veggie broth
Yes of course! I've also used frozen fava beans myself. Simply thaw in a bowl of water to make them easier to de-shell
Always use a non-stick pot, add a generous amount of oil, wrap the lid with a kitchen towel and cook low and slow for a longer period of time. More tips in my tahdig recipe here
More Persian Rice
More Persian Recipes
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Baghali Polo - Persian Fava Bean Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- 15oz / 420g fresh or frozen fava beans (1 ½ cups shelled)
- 2 ½ tablespoons dried dill weed - you can also use fresh dill
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon *Optional ground saffron powder or good pinch of saffron threads
- *Optional advieh (Persian spice mix)
Instructions
- Add the rice to a non stick pot and wash well under cold running water until the water is not misty and almost clear
- Fill the pot with clean water (about 6-8 cups) and add the salt. Place over a medium-high heat and allow to boil for 10–15 minutes to partially cook the rice
- While the rice is boiling, remove the shells off the fava beans - if using frozen, allow them to slightly defrost in a bowl of water
- *Optional if using, add the ground saffron to a small glass/ramekin with a few tablespoons of boiling water to allow it to infuse
- When the rice grains are partially cooked and al dente, add the fava beans to the pot. Gently stir them through the rice for 1-2 minutes
- Drain the rice and fava beans through a fine mesh sieve/colander and lightly rinse under cold water
- Pour the olive oil into the pot with a tablespoon of the saffron water (if using). Add ¼ of the rice to the pot and sprinkle with ¼ of the dried dill weed and lightly mix into the rice
- Repeat layering 3 more times with the remaining rice and dried dill. *You can optionally add a drizzle of saffron water and advieh to the layers if usingOnce you reach the top, use the handle of a spoon to make holes into the rice down to the bottom of the pot, these will act as air pockets. Then drizzle with saffron water or a splash of regular water
- Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel and place on the pot. Cook on the lowest heat for 45 minutes. Then increase to medium-high heat for the final 3 minutes to make the crispy tahdig, watch closely to prevent burning
- To serve, remove the lid and place a large dish or serving platter on the pot and flip the pot upside down. Carefully lift the pot and reveal your beautiful Baghali Polo with crispy tahdig! Serve with my saffron chickpea stew, lamb shanks (maiche) or your favorite protein and enjoy!
Notes
- Basmati rice - don't skip washing the rice. It should always be washed well to remove starch so the grains stay fluffy, not sticky
- Fava beans - if using frozen ones like me, thaw them faster in a bowl of water, which makes them easier to peel
- Crispy tahdig - to make the perfect crispy tahdig, use a non stick pot and don't be shy on the oil, so the rice doesn't burn and get stuck to the bottom. The pot lid also needs to be wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to absorb moisture while steaming
- Tahdig variations - add thin slices of raw potato or thin flatbread such as lavash bread. Simply place them after the oil has been added to the pot, prior to adding the layers of rice
Comments
No Comments