Lima beans and eggs stew, known as Baghali Ghatogh, is so popular in northern Iran. It is easy, delicious and healthy. Serve it with lavash or rice for brunch, lunch or dinner.
Persian Beans and Eggs With Dill
Eggs and vegetables make delicious, quick and filling dishes that can be served any time of the week. From the mediterranean to the far east, there are several examples of this idea, ranging from the famous shakshuka to the captivating Indian egg curry.
This Baghali Ghatogh, prepared with beans, eggs and dill, is very well known in northern Iran. A comforting and easy meal, it is surprising why it never reached greater fame like the other egg dishes.
So here I am sharing this vibrant dish that you will love to make on the repeat. I have included enough tips to customize it to any meal or lifestyle. And also listed ingredient substitutes.
Fragrant dill, garlic and turmeric make this stew so flavorful. Serve it with basmati rice and it will taste like the amazing Persian Dill Rice, but with eggs for some extra nutrition.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here are some notes about ingredients for this recipe.
Dill Weed: Use fresh dill for best taste. Dried dill is an option but doesnโt taste the same.
Lima Beans: I chose this for ease and availability. For a traditional taste, try frozen peeled fava beans available at middle eastern stores. If using fresh fava beans, buy 2 pounds of the beans in their pods, and check out this tutorial for preparing them. Canned butter beans or cannellini beans are also an option.
Eggs: I poach most of the eggs in the stew. But sometimes I also stir a couple more eggs into the stew.
Garlic: We need lots of fresh garlic. You could stir another clove of grated garlic just before adding the eggs for a more garlicky taste.
Optional: Saffron water drizzled on top gives a nice appearance and flavor. Top the stew with butter or ghee to make it rich for a special occasion.
Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Turmeric, Salt, Pepper
How To Make Baghali Ghatogh
Brief overview below. *Full recipe at the end of blog post.
- Prep Dill: Rinse, drain well and chop very finely. See recipe notes for dried dill.
- Saute: Cook garlic with turmeric until fragrant.
- Beans: Add beans, dill and cook couple minutes. Then add water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until beans are tender. Season to taste.
- Eggs: Make shallow wells in the stew and crack eggs into each well and cook.
- Serve: Sprinkle lemon juice and serve with basmati rice or lavash. Top with butter, saffron water and fried onions if desired.
Top Tips
The consistency of Baghali Ghatogh should be neither too thick nor too runny. If necessary, evaporate excess liquids, with the skillet uncovered. Add more water if the stew is too dry.
The beans should be cooked until tender but not mushy. This may not be typical, but you can try mashing up a handful cooked beans just to thicken the sauce.
How To Serve Beans and Eggs
Serve this healthy dish with rice or bread, fish (grilled or smoked), and pickles.
Breakfast or Brunch: It goes well with flatbreads and Persian panir or feta cheese.
Lunch or Dinner: This stew tastes amazing with saffron basmati rice. Add a vegetable salad such as Moroccan Carrot Salad for a quick and satisfying meal. Or try yogurt salads as a side - Mast-O-Khiar or Mast-O-Musir.
Variations
Baghali Ghatogh is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy free, grain free and vegetarian.
Vegan: Substitute eggs with sautรฉed or grilled tofu, or vegan egg replacers.
Flavor Twist: Roast a whole garlic bulb, squeeze the pulp and use it instead of grated garlic. Add sausage to serve it for an American style brunch.
Add Onions: You could saute some onions in oil until golden brown, add garlic and proceed with the recipe.
Make Ahead
Chop the dill 2 to 3 days ahead, wrap in paper towels, pack in airtight container or plastic bag and refrigerate. If using fresh fava beans, peel them couple days ahead. For a quicker prep, stew the lima beans with dill and have it ready. Add eggs and cook just before serving the dish.
Storage
This beans and eggs dish will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can freeze it partially prepared, that is, cooked without adding eggs. Thaw the frozen stew, warm it up, add eggs and cook.
Recipe FAQs
Shell the fava beans from their pod, just like fresh green beans. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and prepare an ice bath. Add the podded fava beans to the boiling water, steep for 1 to 2 minutes, drain well and drop them into the ice bath. Drain the beans and squeeze each bean between fingers to pop off the skin.
Trim the stems, rinse and spin it through aย salad spinner. Spread the dill on a kitchen towel, cover with another towel and set aside for several hours or overnight. This will allow the moisture to be absorbed very well. Now the dill weed will beย much easier to chop finelyย without being clingy.
Nutrition Facts
This Persian beans and eggs dish brings together three excellent sources of nutrition. It is full of fresh green dill, lima beans and eggs. A great way to use spring produce.
Eggs are a good source of high quality protein, low in calories and contain mostly unsaturated fat. They also provide antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, that are protective for the eyes.
Dill weed is a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, carotenoid phytonutrients and antioxidants.
And lima beans provide fiber, folic acid, protein, iron, potassium, magnesium, other B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and sterols.
More Persian Recipes
- Adas Polo (Persian Lentil Rice)
- Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut Stew)
- Grilled Salmon Kabobs (Persian Style)
- Okra Stew With Lamb
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Baghali Ghatogh (Persian Beans and Eggs Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh dill weed about 4 cups, or 1 cup dried dill
- 3 tablespoons
olive oilโจ
- 6 cloves garlic large, finely grated
โจยพ
teaspoon turmeric- 12 ounces frozen lima beans
thawed, double peeled fava beans or 2 (15-ounce) cans butter beans, cannellini beans, rinsedโจ
โจยฝ
teaspoon salt adjust per taste- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice adjust per taste
Optional
- 2 teaspoons butter or ghee
- โ teaspoon saffron ground and dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
- Fried Onions
Instructions
- Prep Dill: Rinse fresh dill, trim the stems and spin couple times in a salad spinner or drain well in colander. Then chop very finely. If using dried dill, soak in warm water for 20 minutes and drain well.
- Saute: In a skillet, heat oil at medium setting. Add garlic and saute until fragrant but not brown, about 4 minutes. Then add turmeric and cook for 30 seconds, and do not let it burn.
- Beans: Add the beans and ยพ of dill and cook for 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer until beans are tender, adding more water as needed, about 15 minutes (or longer if using fava beans).
- Adjust: Stir in remaining dill, salt, pepper and adjust the seasoning to taste. The stew consistency should be saucy (see notes below).
- Eggs: Using the back of a spoon, create 4 shallow wells in the bean-dill mixture and crack an egg into each of these. Cook at medium heat, uncovered, until whites are set and yolks are soft but not over-cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle lemon juice and serve immediately with basmati rice or lavash.
- Tip: Add couple more eggs randomly into the sauce, stir a fork through the eggs to break apart, and cook until set.
- Optional: Top with butter or ghee, saffron water and fried onions if desired.
Notes
- Lima Beans: I chose this for ease and availability. For a traditional taste, you can use frozen peeled fava beans that are available at middle eastern stores. If using fresh fava beans, buy 2 pounds of the beans in their pods, and check out this tutorial for preparing them. Canned butter beans or cannellini beans are an option.
- Stew Consistency: It should be neither too thick nor too runny. Evaporate excess liquids, or add more water as needed. The beans should be tender but not mushy. This may not be typical, but try mashing up some cooked beans to thicken the sauce.
- Make Ahead: Chop the dill 2 to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. If using fresh fava beans, peel them couple days ahead. For a quicker prep, stew the beans with dill and have it ready. Add eggs and cook just before serving.
- Storage: This dish will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can freeze it partially prepared, that is, cooked without adding eggs. Thaw, warm it up, add eggs and cook.
- Forย more informationย on ingredients, variations, recipe FAQs and serving suggestions, scroll up the page to the blog post.
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