Name: Rice with Broad Beans and Dill
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 cup + 4 tbsp (300g) full-fat Greek yogurt; ½ large cucumber; 1 tsp salt; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 tbsp chopped dill; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp butter ((omit butter for a vegan version)); 2 large onions (, finely diced); 2 large garlic cloves (, minced); 1 ½ cups (300g) long grain and wild rice mix ((or basmati rice)); 1 cup (200g) frozen or canned broad beans ((fava beans)); 1 tsp salt; 2 ¼ cups (550ml) hot vegetable stock ((broth)); 1 large bunch fresh dill (, chopped); 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts ((optional)); 1 lemon (, zest only (optional))

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Sometimes you come across a recipe that you fall in love with and make again and again. This ‘green rice’ is just such a recipe, based on traditional Timman bagilla.

Timman bagilla hails from Iraq and translates as ‘rice with broad beans and dill’. I came across the recipe in Together: our community cookbook , which includes over 50 recipes from women whose community was affected by the horrific Grenfell Tower fire.

The book is well worth getting, and not just because it benefits the Hubb Community kitchen and was endorsed by Meghan Markle. It is a great collection of seriously delicious recipes perfect for sharing at large gatherings and the family table.

Dill Rice – Green Rice – Herb Rice

Herb rice recipes like this one are popular across the Middle East and Mediterranean but variations exist around the world. One of my favourite comfort foods as a child was spanakorizo, a Greek risotto recipe packed with spinach and dill.

The Persian rice version is called Sabzi Polo and it contains a variety of green herbs and saffron; another, called Baghali Polo, is remarkably similar.

My version is a simplified vegetarian variation of the recipe in the Together cookbook, where it is made with lamb. The rice itself can easily be veganised by simply leaving out the butter.

The yoghurt sauce in the cookbook was so similar to Greek tzatziki that I have gone with my recipe – I realise this is a true mish-mash of cultures, but a happy one I think!

By the way… The secret to making fluffy rice that doesn’t stick is to not stir it once it starts boiling. Something I need to remind my husband every time he makes rice – he calls this ‘backseat cooking’.

Dill Rice Ingredients

olive oil and butter (omit butter for a vegan version)
onions and garlic
long grain and wild rice mix (or basmati rice)
Frozen or tinned broad beans (fava beans). You can remove the outer skins if you like, I lazily left them on.
Lots and lots of fresh dill
Vegetable stock (broth) I used Kallo bouillon powder
Toasted pine nuts and lemon zest to serve (optional)

How to Make Dill Rice Step by Step

Step 1. Rinse the rice until water runs clear and then leave to soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain well just before using.

Step 2. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.

Step 3. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Step 4. Add the broad beans, half the chopped dill and rice and stir to combine, coating the rice grains in the oil and butter.

Step 5. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight fitting lid. and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Step 6. Uncover the pan and check the rice: it should be cooked through and all the liquid absorbed. If it is still a bit too al dente, cover the pan and leave the steam to cook the rice a bit further.

Step 7. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the remaining dill, fluffing up the rice with a fork.

Step 8. Serve as a side dish garnished with toasted pine nuts and a little lemon zest with the tzatziki on the side. This herb rice is excellent hot or cold.

How to Make Dill Rice in the Instant Pot

Step 1. Rinse the rice until water runs clear and then leave to soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain well just before using.

Step 2. Heat the oil and butter in your Instant Pot using the Sauté function. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.

Step 3. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Step 4. Add the broad beans and rice and stir to combine, coating the rice grains in the oil and butter.

Step 5. Pour in the stock, cover and set vent to sealing. Cook on the rice setting – 12 minutes on low pressure.

Step 6. Release the steam manually. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the chopped dill, fluffing up the rice with a fork.

Step 7. Serve garnished with toasted pine nuts and a little lemon zest with the tzatziki on the side.

How to Make Tzatziki Step by Step

Step 1. Coarsely grate the cucumber into a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Let it stand for 5 minutes and then use your hands to squeeze most of the moisture out.

Step 2. Mix well with the yoghurt, garlic, dill and lemon juice and drizzle with the olive oil. Cover and put in the fridge until needed.

Have you made my dill rice recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde. I can’t wait to see your take on it!