Broad Bean Rice with Lamb Shank - Baghali Polo ba Mahiche

Broad Bean Rice with Lamb Shank - Baghali Polo ba Mahiche

I love this dish, it's one of my favourites. It's a warm hearty meal great for sharing with friends and family.

The garnish really shines and the flavours of the dill in the rice and the mint fried with the onions for the garnish with the turmeric and saffron are a beautiful compliment to the broad beans.

This recipe is enough for 4 people.

Ingredients

For the lamb shank broth

4 lamb shanks

1 onion diced (medium size)

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3 bulbs of garlic

Pinch of ground saffron

4 cups cold water

For the broad bean rice

2 cups rice

1/2 tbsp salt

Pinch of ground saffron (diluted)

1/4 cup oil (vegetable)

400g broad beans

1/4 cup dry dill

For the garnish

5 onions finely sliced

1/2 tsp turmeric

generous pinch of ground saffron

1/4 cup ground dry mint

5 cloves of garlic crushed

Method

Step 1

For the lamb shank broth

• Finely chop the onion and fry in the vegetable oil until golden brown.

• Add the turmeric and fry with the onion for 1 minute.

• Add the ground pepper, salt and saffron and mix well.

• Add the lamb shank and stir well to brown slightly

• Add the garlic bulbs

• Add 3 to 4 cups of water

• Cover the top and let it cook. If the water reduces too much add 1/2 to 1 cup of water until the lamb shanks have cooked well.

Step 2

For the broad bean rice

• Par boil the rice and drain all the water

• Pour 1/4 cup of oil in a medium pot

• Place over low heat

• Add a thin layer of rice

• Spread 2 to 3 tbsp of the broad bean on top of the rice

• Sprinkle 1 tbsp of dry dill over the broad bean layer

• Pour 2 tbsp of diluted saffron over the broad bean layer

• Repeat the above steps until all the rice has been layered

• Cover the top and increase the heat to medium for 5 minutes

• Reduce the heat to low and allow the rice to steam for 30 minutes

Step 3

For the garnish

• Thinly slice the onions and fry until golden brown

• Add the turmeric and fry for 30 seconds

• Add the dry mint and fry for another 1 minute

• Add the saffron and mix well, remove from the heat

• Add the crushed garlic and mix well with the fried onion and mint

• Once the rice is ready take 5 tbsp of the rice and mix gently with the onion and mint

Finally when serving add the garnish on top of the rice. The rice is usually eaten with the broth poured over it and the lamb shank at the side.

Noosh-e-Jaan :)