Bagani Pulao - rice with broad beans and dill

The other day I saw some fresh broad beans at my green grocer. I have only ever used them to make a persian rice dish with dill called 'Bagani Pulao', and since I have a abundance of dill in my garden right now, I decided to buy some. While I was taking the beans out of the pods, I realised that I had not bought enough. In the past I have only used frozen broad beans so my calculations regarding the yield of fresh broad beans were a bit off :) but I decided to go ahead and make the dish anyway. I just reduced the amount of rice I used and as always it turned out delicious so I decided to share the recipe here, but I have adjusted the quantities to serve four.

You will need:

2 cups of long grain rice rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes (I have used aged basmati rice)
1 pack of frozen broad beans or 1 kilo of fresh broad beans in the pods
8-10 spring onions
Large bunch of dill -  about 1.5 cup chopped
A good pinch of saffron
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil.

I start with preparing the broad beans. If using fresh, you need to take the beans out of the pods and place them in boiling water for two minutes and then refresh them by placing them in a bowl of cold water. This helps soften the outer membrane of the beans, which I also remove to reveal little plumb, green beauties. However, If buying frozen you just need to place the beans in room temperature water (as they are already blanched). This allows the beans to thaw and also allows for easy removal of the outer light green membrane. Set the beans aside for now.

In a large sauce pan, boil about 1.5 litres of water. While I wait for the water to boil, I chop the spring onions and dill and soak the saffron in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Once the water is boiling add the the rinsed and soaked rice. Cook the rice on a high heat and rapid boil until it is nearly done. Remove from heat, and drain the rice in a colander. Rinse well with cold water. This removes the excess starch and also stops the rice from overcooking.

Place the empty saucepan back on the heat and add the olive oil, followed by the finely chopped spring onions. Cook for a minute and then add the broad beans. Cook for a further two minutes and add the dill and saffron infused water (along with the saffron strands), followed by the pre cooked rice. Stir gently to combine. Cover with a tight fitting lit. To absorb the excess steam, I wrap a tea towel around the lid. I also place a diffuser or large frying pan under the saucepan to stop the rice from overcooking and catching at the bottom.  Cook the rice for 20-30 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat, fluff up the rice gently and serve in a large platter to be enjoyed family style in the middle of the table.

I often reserve some fresh dill to garnish the dish in the end. Serve warm and enjoy it with vegetarian or meat curries or lentils.

Khiarshoor (pickled gherkins)

Armenians love to pickle everything from okra to herbs and everything in between. Pickled gherkins are the most common and a favourite in our household. There was a time when we would buy jar after jar until my mother in law told me how easy it was to make them.

There are two types of Khiarshoor, one picked in brine and the other in vinegar. I like to pickle mine in vinegar as I prefer the tangy, sour taste, but if you want to pickle in brine, all you need is boiled water which has been cooled to room temperature, copious amount of salt and the gherkins. Place them in a sterilised glass jar and set aside for 7-10 days. It is as simple as that.

For my version, I have used the following:

500 gms of gherkins
1 bay leaf
1 red chilli
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup of rock salt (use less if using normal salt)
Few springs of coriander
White vinegar to fill up the glass jar

Sterilise a medium sized glass jar (I often use the top rack of the dishwasher or wash and then dry the jar in a warm oven) and add some salt and mustard seeds to the bottom. Pack in the gherkins, chilli, bay leaf and garlic cloves. Add the remainder of the salt and mustard seeds and place the coriander springs on top. I do not add any sugar, but if you prefer the sweet and sour variety you can also add some at this point. Fill up the jar with white vinegar and close tight and set aside for 7-10 days. Enjoy as a side with kebabs or add to salads, dips, wraps etc.

Khoresth lepi (lamb with bengal gram lentils)

This is another staple dish of the Armenian and Iranian cuisine, and since it has dal and is really easy to make, I have adopted as well as adapted it to my taste buds :)

To serve six, you will need the following:

2 cups of bengal gram/ chana dal washed and soaked
500-600 gms of lamb (I used a combination of rump steak and chops)
2 onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
Salt and chilli powder to taste
1 teaspoon of meat masala (prepared spice mix found in Indian and middle eastern stores)
1 bay leaf
4-5 dry limes (whole limes or lemons which have been dried. They are the key ingredient in this dish as they infuse the entire dish with a tangy flavour. They can be found in middle eastern stores or you can dry some yourself as long as you do not live in a humid environment)
2 tablespoons of oil
6-7 cups of water


In a pressure cooker or heavy based saucepan, add the oil and bay leaf followed by the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent and starting to colour. Add the meat and cook on a high heat to seal the juices. Add the chopped tomatoes followed by the washed, soaked and drained lentils. stir to mix well and add the powdered spices. Add the dry limes, I like to keep some whole and smash the others so that the lime flavour permeates the entire dish while cooking. Add the water and close the pressure cooker and allow it to come to full pressure on high heat. Reduce the heat and cook for a further 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to subside before opening the pressure cooker. If using a saucepan, cook until the dal and meat are tender. If you are using a cut of meat that requires more cooking, give it a head start and only add the lentils when the meat is half done.

I always add some chopped coriander and generally serve this with plain rice.

Kebab maitabi

While I don't speak Farsi, I have been told on good authority that the word maitabi (the spelling might be a bit off) means pan, so roughly translated kebab maitabi means kebabs cooked in a pan. So to make my version, you need to start with the kebabs. I make mine with lamb mince, and I always make extra and then freeze them individually in freezer bags and stow them away for a time poor day, as they can be also be barbecued, grilled, baked in the oven or cooked in a pan with or without a sauce and can be enjoyed with rice or bread. In fact, my husband loves eating them with garlic yoghurt, combination of salad (lettuce/spinach, onion, tomatoes) and pickled gherkins if available, all wrapped up in pita bread. The salad and yoghurt can be prepared while the kebabs are cooking. So if gluten or dairy are not a problem, this might be something you may want to try.

For every 500 gms of lamb mince, you will need one onion, three cloves of garlic, salt and pepper. I also add one green chilli, but that is completely optional. Finely chop or process the onion, garlic and chilli (if using) and place in a large bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, I use about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Traditionally a whole egg would also be used, but i find that the kebabs hold their shape well even without it, more so, if you refrigerate them for a bit. Add the meat and mix well/ massage with your hands. Herein lies the key to making good kebabs. Rest the mixture for 15-20 minutes and then mix again and shape into small patties. You should get about 5-6 patties/kebabs depending upon the size of the patties you make. If you are making extra freeze them in freezer bags for a later day. You won't regret it.

To start with, I seal the kebabs in a non stick fry pan. Once both sides are sealed and are slightly coloured, set them aside for later. You can use the same pan and any residual fat from the lamb to make the sauce.

To make the sauce, roughly chop one onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic. If required, add some olive oil
to the pan, allow it to heat slightly and then add the onion and garlic (though not traditional, i also add 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger). Once the onions are translucent, add one can of chopped tomatoes and season with salt, chilli powder (to taste, keep in mind that the kebabs are already seasoned) and a pinch of turmeric. Add about 1/4 cup of water (red wine can also be used at this point, however, if you are using wine, ensure that you have cooked of the alcohol before adding the kebabs).  Mix well and then add the sealed kebabs. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes and then turn the kebabs over and cook the other side for a further 5 minutes. You can cook them a bit longer if you prefer. Once they are cooked to your liking, turn up the heat to thicken the sauce (if required) and add some chopped parsley and coriander. Serve hot, it can be enjoyed with either rice or bread.

Zereshk pulao

Zereshk or barberries are tiny, tart, crimson berries used in Armenian and middle eastern cuisine. I learned how to make this rice dish from my mother in law, who is Armenian, but I think the roots of the dish lie in Persian cuisine.

To make this pulao, you will need the Zereshk. You can find them in good middle eastern stores or some health food stores. If unavailable, you can substitute with dried cranberries, but the taste is not the same. You will also need some rice, olive oil, saffron, salt and some sugar.

Wash and soak the rice. I use two cups to serve four people. In a large saucepan bring plenty of water ( about 2 litres) to the boil. Add the washed rice and cook until the rice is just tender. Drain the rice in a colander and rinse with cold water to remove the starch and stop the rice from over cooking.  Return the empty saucepan to the heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 a cup of the barberries. I soak and wash them first to remove any impurities. Stir the barberries in the oil for a minute and then add a good pinch of saffron, two teaspoons of salt (or to your preference) and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix well but do not over heat, you want the barberries to retain their crimson colour. Add the cooked rice. Mix well and cover. Place a diffuser or fry pan underneath the saucepan (to avoid the saucepan from coming into contact with direct heat) and cook on a low heat for a further 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Serve hot with kebabs, khoresht or lentils or enjoy it on its own as the addition of saffron, salt and sugar means that this dish is packed full of flavour and the little gems are little explosions waiting to happen when you bite into them.