Baghali Polo ba Mahicheh

Baghali polo ba mahicheh — dill and fava bean rice with lamb shanks — is the dish Iranians serve when they want to impress. The lamb shanks simmer for hours with onion, turmeric, and saffron until they collapse off the bone, while the rice is layered with fresh dill and fava beans. It is the centerpiece of Nowruz lunches and wedding dinners. The dish takes time, but most of it is hands-off simmering, and the moment the platter hits the table makes it all worth it.

Tender shanks over fragrant, dill-flecked rice

The lamb is so tender it falls apart at a glance, its sauce rich and golden, while the rice is fluffy and fragrant with dill and the soft pop of fava beans. A crispy tahdig crust at the bottom is a bonus prize. Serve the shanks on a platter over the rice, spooning the sauce over everything. Leftover rice and meat reheat beautifully together the next day, almost as good as the first time.

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