This dish is a slight variation of Baghali Polo, a traditional Persian rice dish that offers fragrant flavors of both fresh and dried dill and fresh parsley, along with fava beans, basmati rice, and saffron. Here, I’ve made it with quinoa, still incorporating the original recipe’s delicious flavors but omitting the oil.
3 cups frozen double-peeled fava beans or frozen shelled edamame (mukimame)
2 cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups water
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup dried dill
2 tablespoons Benson’s Table Tasty or other salt-free seasoning of your choice
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the frozen fava beans or edamame. Return to a boil and cook until just tender. Drain and put in ice water to shock the
beans and to stop from cooking.
2. Add the beans and the remaining ingredients into a 5-quart pot. Bring to a rapid boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed
(about 15-20 minutes). Let it stand for about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Shayda Soleymani is passionate about helping others thrive on a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB), SOS-free diet, having seen firsthand what it did for her. Since adopting the WFPB lifestyle on January 12th, 2012, she has lost 120 pounds, eliminated all of her medications, and earned her Starch Solution certificate. She loves to share her favorite Persian recipes, converted into health-promoting versions. She hopes you’ll enjoy them as much as she does! Persian spices can be found in Middle Eastern/Indian markets or online. For more information, follow Shayda on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at “Healthy Cooking with Shayda.”