Iran has a rich culinary history, and rice resides at the heart of the Persian cooking tradition. Rice was likely introduced to Iran from India during the rule of Darius the Great in the 6th century BCE. Over time it became a staple food item for Iranians, cultivated in many sophisticated varieties. A multitude of flavorful and fragrant rice dishes have emerged throughout the centuries… saffron-scented rice, cooked with herbs and tender meats; sweet rice with dried fruits or sour cherries; vegetable rice, sometimes mixed with legumes… and for the ancient royal courts, there was even rice studded with jewels.
Over time, four methods have developed for preparing Persian rice: kateh, damy, chelow, and polo. Kateh is simply rice steamed with water, salt, oil or butter, and sometimes saffron. Damy is rice steamed more slowly and mixed with uncooked ingredients, like beans or grains. Chelow is parboiled rice mixed with seasonings and/or herbs, then slowly steamed to form a crispy tahdig (sometimes spelled tahdeeg). Polo (or polow) is a variant of chelow in which aromatic ingredients like meat, fruit, and/or vegetables are mixed into the rice. Polo rice dishes are popular for their complex, mouthwatering flavor combinations.
Which brings me to today’s recipe: Persian Dill and Lima Bean Rice, otherwise known as Baghali Polo. This is my favorite Persian dish, and I’ve spent the past two years looking for the perfect recipe. I wanted a non-dairy version for my kosher readers; Persian cooks sometimes use butter or ghee and yogurt in their rice, but Jewish cooks prefer to make it dairy-free so it can be served with a kosher meat meal. I tried many versions from various Persian and Sephardic Jewish cookbooks, but I was never completely satisfied with the results. Then I had my Persian Jewish friend Farah teach me her way of making it. Over time, I was able to combine the methods I’d learned to develop a terrific recipe for Baghali Polo. The most challenging part was figuring out how to create a crispy, golden tahdig.
The word tahdig is Persian, meaning “bottom of the pot.” It’s a layer of crispy rice that develops on the bottom of the pot while the rice is cooking. It’s crunchy, delicious, and considered the “prized” part of the rice. The talent of an Iranian cook is often measured by his or her ability to create a quality tahdig.
Making a tahdig requires a specific set of cooking conditions, and it takes some practice to get it right. I’ve attempted to provide clear, step-by-step instructions that will help you achieve a beautiful tahdig. Make sure you have a nonstick pot on hand– any 5 quart nonstick pot will do. I generally don’t like using nonstick cookware, but I bought a cheap 5 quart pot from the grocery store just for the purpose of making Persian rice. If you have trouble the first time, don’t be discouraged… stove heat and pot thickness can vary, which means it may take some practice with your home equipment to get it just right. Even if your tahdig doesn’t turn out perfect, your rice will still be delicious. Promise!
This is one of my all time favorite side dish recipes… it’s salty, fragrant, and tastes buttery without dairy. While I enjoy the sweet Persian rice dishes, I much prefer the savory herb flavor of this dish. It’s a lovely addition to a dinner buffet. Whenever I serve it at a party, my guests are intrigued, particularly if they’ve never tried Persian rice before. It’s a real treat!
Persian Dill and Lima Bean Rice - Baghali Polo
Ingredients
- 3 cups white basmati rice
- 1 bag (12 oz.) frozen baby green lima beans
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use grapeseed)
- 1 cup fresh chopped dill, or more to taste
You will also need
- Medium mixing bowl, large 5 quart nonstick pot with tight fitting lid, spice mortar and pestle, large colander, wooden spoon, thin kitchen towel
- Rinse and sort the rice for a minute in the colander with cold water. Pour the rice into a medium mixing bowl and cover it with 2 inches of cold water. Let the rice soak for 90 minutes.
Drain the rice in a colander and rinse again with cold water, shake out the excess water. Rinse and dry the mixing bowl and set aside.
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a 5 quart nonstick pot (using a pot with a nonstick surface is important; it will help in the formation of the crispy tahdig). Pour in the rice, beans, and salt. Stir. Bring the water back to a boil. Let the mixture boil uncovered on medium high for 8 minutes. Stir the rice periodically during cooking.
While rice is boiling, crush the saffron threads in a mortar and pestle. Pour 1/2 cup of hot water into the mortar and let the saffron soak.
After 8 minutes of boiling, pour the rice into a colander and rinse with lukewarm water, then drain. Rinse and dry the pot and put it back on the stove. Stir the fresh chopped dill into the rice in the colander, making sure it is well mixed throughout the rice. I use about 1 cup of chopped dill; you can use more if you like a very green rice with a strong dill flavor. 
In the medium mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 cup vegetable oil, half of the saffron water, and 1 1/2 cups of the cooked rice.
Spread the oil and rice mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the pot. This will become your tahdig. 
Scoop the rest of the rice out of the colander and into the pot, forming a volcano-shaped mound in the middle of the pot. 
Make a hole in the center of the volcano with the handle of a wooden spoon, pushing it almost to the bottom of the pot.
Place a thin kitchen towel over the top of the pot, being careful not to let the towel get too close to the heat source. Place the lid tightly over the top of the towel. Turn on the heat to medium and let the rice steam for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the remaining saffron water with remaining 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. 
After 10 minutes, remove the towel and lid from the pot and pour the saffron oil mixture evenly over the top of the rice.
Replace the towel and lid. Turn heat to low. Let the mixture steam for 45-50 minutes longer.- Move the pot to a cool surface and let it rest for 5 minutes. When ready to serve, you have two options.
- Option 1: Scoop the rice out of the pot and mound it onto a serving plate or tray, leaving a thin layer of rice undisturbed at the bottom of the pot.
Use a spatula to loosen the crispy tahdeeg from the bottom of the pot and arrange the pieces around the cooked rice. Garnish with a little fresh dill, if desired.- Option 2: Place a large serving plate upside down on top of the pot. Invert the pot quickly and gently unmold the rice from the pot. This will keep the tahdig intact and create a cake-like effect with the rice.
- Serve hot.
This is such a yummy sounding recipe! Great idea. Yum!
This looks delicious. The latins also have a word for the sticky rice at the bottom of the pot and in their culture it is also the favorite portion. They call it Pegao. I eat kosher and was delighted to find you blog.
This is terrific, Tori! I had no idea there were so many names and styles for making rice! I bet this has an amazing flavor…thanks for the recipe AND the lesson!
This is absolutely gorgeous! And soo interesting! Your presentations are amazing…I love #1 and I am sure #2 took a lot of careful movements! What would you suggest to have this with? Brisket? Chicken? I am “pinning” this too! LOVE it!
I love tadhig, had a chance to eat Persian rice a lot with friends from Iran who are good cooks. We make the similar rice with lima beans and dill but not saffron. But I think the color just makes it prettier and unexpected. Beautiful.
Have a great weekend.!
You too Ilke!
it looks crispilly interesting… good to know in these times that something good.. even if volcano shaped, can come out of persia
Will this work with brown rice?
My question is as Kent’s…. Curious if this would work with brown rice. Can’t think of why it wouldnt… Looks delish!
Hi Barbara, hi Kent… this is a great question. I asked one of my Persian friends, who advised against it– she said that the texture of white long grain basmati rice is closest to traditional Persian rice. Brown rice takes longer to cook, and will likely not turn out as fluffy as white basmati. It also doesn’t have the lovely perfume of white basmati, which means the dish will be lacking the proper aroma. That said, if you are absolutely set on using brown rice, long grain brown basmati rice can be used (don’t use short grain or American-style rice– long grain basmati is important). I am passing along her tips, so keep in mind that I haven’t tried this myself and can’t make any promises. You’ll need to presoak it for the full amount of time, and parboil the rice till it’s an al dente texture– soft but firm, and not at all crunchy. The parboil will take longer than with white rice, and likely will need a little more water to achieve the desired texture. Once the rice reaches that al dente stage, you can proceed with the recipe as written. Again, I make no promises, so if you’re able to try it please report back to us and let us know how it worked for you!
Okay now that I owe you a meal (thanks for the Fab lunch with Mr. Batali) we should go to a place I know in Hollywood that serves Baghali Polo. GREG
The Batali lunch was so much fun Greg! What a treat. Yes, I’m always game for a Persian meal… sign me up!
I like very much the rice recipe but I hate the dill, so I think I will use a different herb when I make this one…
I stumbled here accidentally, but the recipe (and the rest of the site) look great! One small quibble, baghali is not lima beans, but their bigger and tastier cousin, fava beans. I know they are not as easy to find, but well worth the results.
Tori this is unique to me. I don’t see much of this type of food where I live. I must give this one a try. I have never tried that towel trick before. Wish me luck with it. I tend to be accident prone.
My mother in-law was Iranian this with her kabab was my favorite. Works and taste best with basmati rice
Thanks so much for your recipe + pictures. This is one of my favorite persian rice dishes. I like it best w/ peas. In Great Neck I’ve had it prepared that way. In Los Angeles + Beverly Hills The cooked it This way w/ the Lima Beans. I’m a Baby Nurse and many of my Clients + friends are Persian. I love almost all of the dished the have prepared. I also like the sweet rice dish w/ carrots, raisins , + cinnamon.
Looks really yummy and can’t wait to try this dish. Not crazy about lima beans – thinking of using edamame or canned chickpeas…