Baghali polo (Baghali Polow, باقالی پلو) is another charming member of polos in Persian cuisine.
Baghali is the Persian term for fava beans and polo is a Persian style made rice. Normally, polo is a dish of rice which includes vegetables, meat, and other ingredients. In a dish of Baghali polo Persian rice accompanies green fava beans, dill, and meat to make an extra delightful taste.
It is typically cooked with beef and Iranians mostly refer to it as Baghali Polo Ba Mahiche(beef, ماهیچه).
Therefore, it is a precious dish which is served mostly in wedding ceremonies. There are other polo dishes wich Iranians serve at weddings, but none of them is as charismatic as Baghali polo. Because you can find other polos such as Zereshk polo in other ceremonies, too. Nevertheless, Baghalipolo has saved its uniqueness and royalty for weddings and other special fancy occasions.
It is usually the most expensive food in the restaurants and you’d better be aware of your credit card before ordering the Baghalipolo.
Baghali polo is famous, but it is not too famous to find it easily everywhere and in every restaurant. Since fresh beans are available in a temporary period of the year, accessing fresh Baghali polo is limited, too.
Different types of Baghali polo
Rice, fava beans, and dill are primary ingredients of Baghali polo that is inseparable. But depending on your meat taste, you can cook different types of Baghali polo. Although the main recipe is with beef, you can use lamb or chicken, too.
Bagali polo with chicken is common in Persian cuisine, too. However, the one alluring Baghalipolo that everyone refers to is made with beef.
Baghali polo Serving styles
While serving the meats accompany the polo with some fried onions as toppings. Usually, a light appetizer such as Soup E Jo(saffron soup, … soup, سوپ جو) is a good choice before Bagali polow. Shirazi salad, Sabzi Khordan (سبزی خوردن) or a simple lettuce salad are most common side dishes served by it.
As always doogh (Persian yogurt drink) is the best drink choice next to this Persian polo.
Vegetarian tips
As I mentioned before, you can make any changes to the meat section of the dish. For a vegetarian style, you can simply omit the meat. The combination of rice, beans and dill and some fried onions for topping creates a delightful flavor that you’ll definitely want to try it for a second time.
Baghali polo Nutrition facts
It has a quite high calorie with a 319 kcal per 100 gr. Since it contains a notable amount of rice and meat, it is a great source for carbohydrates and protein. With a 50 gr carbs per 100 gr, and over 10 gr protein.
It has a remarkable amount of vitamins, especially vitamin A. with more than 35 mg per 100 gr.
However, it should be considered that Baghali polo can be harmful to diabetes.
What are the ingredients?
The main ingredients of Baghali polo are fava beans, basmati rice, dill, and meat. Although the most famous Baghali polo is cooked with lamb or beef shank, using chicken or cubed stew meat is also possible. In some southern regions of Iran, people cook it with fish, too. Other ingredients are onion, saffron, turmeric, salt, butter, and vegetable oil. Depending on the crust(Tahdig) you like to have the ingredients that may include potatoes or bread or etc.
Cooking process:
This recipe consists of cooking a Polow style rice and cooking the meat in a sauce.
As we have explained polo’s recipe before, for making a pleasant polo you need to soak it properly. Therefore, to cook a delicious Baghali polo you’d better start the preparation 24 hours earlier. After your rice is soaked you are halfway there. If you are using fresh beans you should clean and slice them before adding to the food. Iranians usually prepare beans when it is available and freeze them for further use. To freeze fava beans, clean and slice and wash them. Then freeze them in 1 cup amount packages for further use.
Despite fava beans, Iranians believe that Bagali polo is more delicious with dried dill. However, you can use fresh dill, too.
If you are going to use chickens as meat, use the tighs parts. However, you can use the breasts, too. Actually, it is all up to your taste, but thighs have a better appearance on the Polow.
Baghali Polo
Ingredients
- 3 cups Persian rice or Basmati rice
- 4 pieces beef shank (lamb shank or chicken tight or breast)
- 1 cup cleaned fava beans (or lima beans)
- ½ cup dried dill or 1 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 sliced or diced onion
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 25 gr butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup warm water
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
Instructions
- Pour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pot and saute the onion.
- Add turmeric to the onions.
- Saute the meat with the onions.
- Add warm water and let the meat cook.
- Soak and prepare the rice in Polo style.You should soak and rinse the rice then pout it into the water and wait until the water boils.
- Add beans to the rice when the rice is boiling.
- Rinse the mixture of softened and cooked rice and beans.
- In a dry pot pour some oil and add any crust you like.Lavash bread or potatoes can be sufficient choices.
- Pout a layer of bean mixed rice and a layer of dill.Continue this step.
- Let the rice cook and start making the meat sauce.
- In a pan mix the melted butter with saffron and tomato paste.If there is any growth left, add it to the sauce. Juicer sauce is more delicious.
- Strimm the meat in the sauce.
- Pout the rice into a dish and put the meats on the rice.
