Baghali Polow/Lima or broad beans rice and dill with lamb

Baghali or Lima/ broad/Fava beans  are popular in Iran. Fava beans are used in many forms but the most popular ones is  boiling or steam cooking them and serving them with  pepper, salt and lemon juice, but the king of them all is Baghali Polow which is one of the festive food on the menu, especially in wedding ceremonies!

It can be served with Mahiche (lamb shanks) which is my favorite, chicken and turkey  or any kind of meat.

Ingredients:

serving for 4- 6 

2 cups long grain rice

2 cups Fava (Lima) beans , I usually use fresh ones  but sometimes we use dried  or frozen ones. 

2 cups  finely chopped fresh dill  ...you can use dried dill too ...if you use dried dill you may need 1 cup only  and sprinkle it  over the drained  rice ........

2 onions
3 or 4 lamb shanks or 400 gr beef  or any kind of meat 

pepper and salt

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon mixed adviyeh ( cinnamon,nutmeg, powered garlic, powdered cardamom, powdered corriander seeds)

butter/ shortening or liquid oil of your own choice

 1/2 teaspoon saffron

1- bring the water to the boil  2- Add halved fava beans to the boiling  water  3- remove the foam of the water surface

 Add rice to the boiling water with beans, then after 2 mins  add finely chopped  dill , after 2 mins drain rice  

Direction: 

Pick over the rice , removing any stones or other  particles and  wash thoroughly under lukewarm water until the water runs clear . Soak the rice in a large container filled with water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 2 hours or more,

While the rice is soaking, wash dill thoroughly and chop finely, cook Mahiche(lamb shanks) with garlic,  meat broth , chopped onions and a pinch of black pepper....finally add a few saffron threads to give it a good flavor and color, 

Later in a large pan bring a water into a boil, first add halved Lima beans, wait for a min, remove foams rising to the surface of the water, adding lima beans  before adding rice to the water helps  beans to cook better, after a mins or so drain rice and add then into the pan, wait for a few minutes like 2 or 3 minutes and then  add dill , Try one grain to see if it’s ready , it must be barely done,not cooked fully  and not soft . Drain the rice, beans and dill in a large fine-mesh strainer or colander.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. distribute melted butter  evenly in the pan, and arrange some potatoes to make a crispy potato  tahdig!

Arrange rice one layer at the bottom of the pan over the  sliced potatoes . Sprinkle with pinch of Adviyeh, to taste. Follow with another layer of rice, pile the rest of the rice one layer after another . Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter  over rice, brew saffron threads in boiled water and out in inside the pan over the rice  like the way I show on the picture, 

 

Place a clean towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. 

Reduce the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes or more.the approximate time is one hour not more that that. Rice grains should be separate  not sticky.

When ready to serve, gently  place it on the large serving platter and put lamb shanks over the rice or serve it beside the pilaf. This Pilaff is delicious served with yogurt and salad.

 Nooshe jaan!

Ash-e Dugh or Ayran Ashi, Yogurt Soup

A popular Ash/soup from Azari provinces of Iran, cooked with yogurt and a lot of fresh vegtables, it is very nutritious and refreshing, If you ever got a chance to travel  to north west of Iran to uromiyah or Ardabil, you would see locals selling  " Ayran Ashi/ yogurt soup"  served in  small bowls  in the streets, parks, beach and mountain hills, there are different recipes to cook this soup but all versiosn from different cities have common  ingredients, yogurt, water  and  herbs. some people add garlic , liver  and even chicken  broth , some people don't like chick peas so they omit chick peas but somehow  I  have had my own version, which is very simple but  with hot chillies which can open your sinus, as a matter of fact nothing  like a handful of hot green chilies can  clear your sinus!
Although if you can't tolerate hot ones you can only add some bell peppers, or not too hot peppers,

   I N G R E D I E N TS:
½ cup dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight or you can have canned  ones..drained
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or beetroot leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh green garlic (if in season; leaves only) (this is optional for this recipe)
1 cup chinese celery ( only leaves)
1 cup parsley
4 cups plian yogurt  ( yogurt should not be sweet nor  sour that much)


1 tablespoon  flour
1 egg
1/3 cup medium-grain rice, soaked in water an hour before cooking
Salt, to taste
 4 cups water, you can adjust  water amount depending on your own  taste if you like think soup or thick and creamy type)
1 or 2 green chili peppers

D I R E C T I O N:

put pre soaked chick peas in a small saucepan filled with water and boil until the chickpeas are soft, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside!

steam cook washed and fresh herbs for about 5 minutes,

 In a proper and large sauce pan whisk  egg, yogurt, water all together, beat them thoroughly to get a desirable consistency,

dissolve flour in 2 table spoons water and add to the yogurt  mixture, whisk for a few minutes,
Add rinsed   rice, chop the heads of  green chilies add them to the pan, place over the heat, stir it constantly with a wooden spoon,don't give up at all,

bring it to a boil as you are stirring , reduce the heat and as you let it simmer, add herbs and cooked chick peas,

if you feel it s too thick you can add some  hot or boiled water,

you can have it cold or hot, but I need to remind you this soup  gets thickened as it stands, but I only love  hot one or at least warm,

Nushe jaan, Nush olsun! enjoy

Chicken and Green string beans

Red, green, yellow, this Food is really colorful dish, simple easy and very tasty ,  you can find sour and hot tastes , both in one! I love string beans so I sometimes add them to the meat or chicken! In addition to  their lovely tastes, green beans  have a lot of benefits, they are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates fiber and complex carbohydrates, Folic acid and molybdenum, the major health benefit of green beans   is their ability to lower the cholesterol  and consequently blood pressure  due to their  rich source of fiber, moreover  they prevents rapidly rising  sugar in blood after a meal!


I N G R E D I E N T S: 4 serving

500 gr  chicken fillet
750 gr  string green beans
500 gr  tomatoes
3 medium onions
cooking oil
salt and pepper
2 green chilies
 1/4 cup verijuice/ if you don't have verijuice  you can add one table spoon of fresh lime juice,

D I R E C T I O N:
Peel and thinly slice onions, then fry in oil until slightly golden.


Wash and cut chicken fillets  into small pieces and fry in onions until color changes, dice tomatoes and add them into the pan with  green chilies, let the tomatoes release their water , add verijuice ( if you  want to add lime juice  you better add it at the final stage of cooking before adding  the beans ) and a glass of water,  cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender ,

While chicken is cooking, wash green beans, cut the ends and chop into 2-3 cm pieces, you can steam cook  green beans or boil them , I sometimes prefer to add one tsp of turmeric to the beans ,
Add beans, salt, pepper

drain the cooked beans and add them to the cooked chicken, cook for another 3 or 4 minutes,
The khoresht is ready!
Nooshe jaan!

Khoresht- e Qeimeh, or Gheimeh, split peas and meat stew

This is one of the special dishes amongst Iranians, Many Iranians have  special feelings for this khoresht because it is one of the most  wanted nazri foods during religious  ceremonies,nazri is traditional Muslim Iranian culture which is mostly referred to making food and distributing it amongst people specifically needy ones,generally Nazr  is a promise to fulfill when someone asks God to help to solve problems or Asking God for something , Most people promise to make foods and distribute it Many Iranians carry it out  multiple times per year around major religious events and holidays, Khoresht gheimeh is easy and delicious, hence on the top list of nazri Foods. 
 Gheigmeh or Qeimah, is tiny cut pieces of  stewing meat lamb or beef, (Goosht-e Gheimeh) ...... Goosht means meat! once is served you may fall in love with its peculiar aroma of dried  lime - Limoo amani- and  matchstick thin potato chips on top of the stew !


I N G R E D I E N T S: (for 4 )

450 gr stewing meat (lamb chops or beef)
1 large onion
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 dried limes  
2 potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp saffron
1tbsp rose water
2 handfuls of split  peas
2 tbs oil


D I R E C T I O N:


Trim , wash and chop stewing meat in small cubes,
Chop the onions and saute in 1 tablespoon oil until golden, 
add meat to onions and fry until the meat color changes  all over,add turmeric and nutmeg, salt and pepper

  Add water to cover the meat and cook for about 45 minutes, ,meanwhile cook split peas separately but remove them from the heat  half cooked, to better digestion of split peas you should soak them in water a few hours a head of cooking, 
Drain half cooked split peas and add them in a frying pan and add tomato paste, cinnamon and nutmeg, stir fry for a few minutes,  cut dried limes in half and remove seeds carefully, add them to the pan,

  Add the split peas mixture to the meat and cover the mixture with enough amount of water, sprinkle  in saffron powder,
cover the pan and  simmer for 40 minutes or until   meat is tender and split peas are soft, but don't overcook  the stew , add rose water before removing from the heat( after adding rose water  simmer 2 minutes more)

 about 10 minutes before serving the food, peel the potato, and cut in matchstick thin length wise and make fried potato chips,

add chips on the top of the stew before serving, 

Serve with plain rice, 

I hope you enjoy it!

Streusel Coffee cake

I know, I know! This cake does not sound Iranian but these streusel  cakes can be from anywhere, i don't know the origin of the cake but  since streusel is a German word , technically they can be German, this cake has a soft texture yet crunchy, coffee and walnut or Almond sponge on the bottom with a crispy top, the streusel part !  Actually I was looking for a not sweet cakes to bake for my father,, as i was going through  an Australian "Quick and Easy "cook book , I found this delightful edible   streusel cake with coffee flavor , my dad's favorite flavor, !

I N G R E D I E N T S: 

2tsp melted butter or oil for greasing

1, 1/3 cups plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

6 tbsp  sugar or 75 gr 

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1 stick butter /100 gr /melted and cooled 

2tbsp instant coffee mixed with 1tbsp boiling water 

1/4 cup walnut chopped/ or almond

T O P P I N G 

1/3 cup self raising flour

1/3 cup cup demerara sugar

2tbsp butter cut into small pieces 

1 tsp ground mixed spices ( 1/8tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp clove, 1/4 tsp ginger powder)

1tbsp water

icing sugar for dusting

D I R E C T I O N

Grease a round  23 cm loose bottomed cake tin with butter and flour it lightly, and set it aside

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large  mixing bowl , then stir in the sugar. whisk the milk, eggs, butter and coffee mixture,

 Pour the mixture on to the dry ingredient,

Add chopped walnuts or almonds  and mix  lightly  together, 

to make the topping  mix flour and demerara sugar together in a mixing bowl, cut the butter into pieces , add them to the mixture and rub it in with your fingers,  until it gives you a crumbly  mixture, 

sprinkle in the ground mixed spice , add the water until  the dough resembles  loose crumbs,

Spoon the batter  in to the tin Sprinkle the topping evenly over the surface of the cake, 

 Bake in a preheated  oven , 180c for about 1 hour , cover the tin with  Aluminum foil if the topping starts to brown  quickly,  leave to cool in the tin then remove cake from the tin and  dust it with icing sugar, 

Noosh- e Jaan!!!

Source: traditional cake Australian cooking magazine quick and easy