Baghali Ghatogh

Ingredients

• 10½ ozfava beanspeeled (remove both skins from fava beans); soak dried beans beforehand
• 4 tbspdilldefining herb of the dish
• 3eggsset on top of the stew at the end
• 5 clovesgarlicfinely grated or crushed
• 1 tspturmeric
• 2⅛ ozbuttercan be partly or fully replaced by oil
• 2⅛ cupswateradd hot, just covering the beans
• ½ tspblack pepper
• saltto taste
• saffronground and dissolved in a little water, for drizzling (optional)
• cinnamonsprinkled over at the end (optional)

Method

1. Peel the beansPeel the beans. If you are using fava beans, remove both skins so that only the tender green kernels remain. If using dried beans, soak them beforehand and drain them well.
2. Soften the garlic in butterMelt the butter in a wide pot or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the grated garlic and cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. It should not take on any colour.
3. Toast the spicesAdd the turmeric and black pepper and toast for about 30 seconds, until the butter turns a glossy golden yellow.
4. Fry the beans and dillAdd the beans, turn them well in the fat and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the dried dill and let it cook for a minute, until it releases its aroma.
5. Simmer until tenderPour in the hot water until the beans are just covered. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans are tender but not yet falling apart.
6. Season and reduceSeason with salt. If there is still too much liquid in the pot, take off the lid and let the stew reduce for a few minutes, until it is thick and silky.
7. Add the eggs and let them setCrack the eggs directly onto the stew, leaving a little space between them, and salt them lightly. Put the lid back on and let the eggs set over low heat for 5 to 8 minutes. From this point on, do not stir.
8. Garnish and serveIf you like, drizzle over a little saffron water and scatter a pinch of cinnamon on top. Serve the baghali ghatogh hot with kateh rice.

Tips and variations

Instead of fresh or frozen beans, you can use dried ones soaked for 6 to 12 hours. Besides fava and lima beans, pach-baghala, the fava beans of Rasht, work well, as do Rashti or Kashavarzi beans; tinned butter beans or cannellini beans will do at a pinch. A bunch of fresh dill can stand in for the dried. Soak dried dill briefly first, so it softens and its scent opens up. More water makes a soupier version. If you prefer, pierce the yolks and swirl them through the stew, or cook the eggs uncovered rather than with the lid on. A squeeze of lemon juice, saffron water, fried onions and a knob of butter make a good finish. At the table, it wants a bowl of kateh rice and a few cloves of fresh garlic alongside.