Dinner Twist - Baghali Pollow & Beef Curry

There is always twist in our dinning table, what I mean is .. when I decide to cook, i always make a crazy combination of dishes between Persian and Indonesian - sound cool huh, :)  No I don't mix the recipe but if I cook Persian rice it will always company by Indonesia stew ...the purpose is to introduce as many taste to our mixed family 

Last week, my persian friend came to our home, and without hesitate I start asking about how to cook rice properly, believe me it take me 10 years to cook persian rice correctly, everyday is a practice day you know.. She gave me a very nice tips for using a different kind of pots..  

And today I prepared foods for dinner, 'Dill Rice and Kalio Daging / Indonesian beef curry' - so let's me share the recipe with you .. hope you enjoy it..

Baghali Pollow (Dill Rice with Lima Beans / Fava Beans)

Ingredients :

2 cups  basmati rice

2 cups frozen baby lima beans, thawed - Fava beans or black bean will work too

2 cups finely chopped fresh dill or 1 1/2 cups dried dill. - or use both combination, but make sure put the fresh one for the last layer, since the fresh one give such a great flavor

2-3 tablespoons oil

1/3 teaspoon turmeric

Dash of cinnamon

Salt 

1-2 tablespoons of melted butter for the topping *optional

Water

Method:

In a medium bowl mix dill (fresh or dried), lima beans, a dash of salt, cinnamon and turmeric. Mix well and set aside.

Wash rice with cool water a few times. Soak in 4 cups of water, add 2-3 tablespoons of salt and set aside for a 1-2 hours. 

In a large non-stick pot that has a tight fitting lid, bring 4 cups of water to a rapid boil. Drain rice and pour into boiling water and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Test to see if the rice is ready. Rice should be firm in the center and soft on the outside. Drain and rinse with cool water. 

Wash the pot and return to heat, add a couple of tablespoons of oil. Place a layer of rice into the pot (or simply just put a layer of slice flat bread or thin slices of potato, and make sure sprinkle with a bit of salt on the top of potato otherwise will taste blend) then  a layer of dill and Lima beans. Then another layer of rice, continue building it into a pyramid shape. 

In order to release the steam make 2-3 holes in the rice with the bottom of the spatula. 

Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium-high heat until rice is steaming, add a cup of water. Lower heat and steam the rice for another 40-50 minutes.

Serve on a platter along with lamb shanks or chicken pieces or just by itself as a vegetarian dish. If you find the rice a bit on the dry side distribute the melted butter on top of the rice.

Kalio Daging / Beef Curry Stew

Ingredients

500 gr Beef-sliced,

400 ml Coconut milk    

small size of potatoes

Grind into a paste:

100 ml Coconut juice, 

3 Kaffir lime leaves   

3 Bay leaves, 

1 Tamarind,      

3 cm Galangal 

1 Lemon grass-bruised        

100 gr Kidney beans-boiled ¾ soft  - bean in the can works too, make sure you drained and rinse with cold water               

Grind into a paste

8 shallot, 

4 cloves garlic, 

5 candlenuts (easy to find at Asia market or you can substitute with cashew

2 tsp corriander,

1 tsp cumin

2 cm turmeic or 1 tsp turmeric powder

2 cm fresh ginger or 1 tsp ginger powder

2 tsp salt

10 red chillies, 5 cayenne peppers, - how much chilles is depent how how do you want your stew is,in case I must to adjust with hubby and kid taste

1 tomato

Directions

Sauté ground spices with a bit oil until fragrant. Stir in the beef; cook until the color changed.

Pour the coconut milk & juice; add in galangal, lemon grass, tamarind, lime leaves & bay leaves. Cook until the gravy becomes oily. Put in beans; cook until the gravy becomes rather thick & the beans soft.