Baghali Polo

A spring-into-summer dish from northern Iran, particularly Gilan, where fava beans have been cultivated for over 4,000 years (favas reached Iran from the Levant well before the Achaemenid era). It became standard nowruz-season banquet rice during the Qajar period (1789–1925), often paired with lamb shank as a wedding dish. Outside spring it's made with frozen or skinned dried favas.

Spring-into-summer dish from northern Iran where favas have grown over 4,000 years. Standard Qajar-period (1789-1925) wedding rice, paired with lamb shank. Favas need double-skinning — pod off, blanch, then peel the gray membrane — or the rice goes faintly bitter and the green dulls to gray.

Saffron-streaked basmati shot through with bright green fava beans and a heavy hand of fresh dill. The dill is the loud note — grassy, almost anise-edged — and the favas pop between the teeth. Usually served with slow-braised lamb shank on the side. The dill must stay green; brown dill on top means it was added too early and cooked out its perfume.

Favas need double-skinning — out of the pod, blanched, and then the gray membrane around each bean peeled off. Skip the second skin and the rice goes faintly bitter and the green dulls to gray. Dill goes in only at the layering stage, never with the parboil; raw dill into hot oil-and-rice steams just enough to bloom without browning.