We had the most wonderful dinner at my book club this week! One of our members, Roohi, shared a bit of her culture with us. My favorite dish was the Baghali Polo.
It's a rice and lima bean dish with dill and saffron. And there's a sliced potato "crust" on the bottom that comes out on top once you turn it out onto a platter.
I haven't gotten Roohi's recipe yet, but I found one that appears to be similar. You can check it out here.
You can see in the photos that we had another rice dish with saffron (that also had a potato crust), a purple cabbage dish (sort of like slaw), and chicken skewers. It was served with yogurt and pita/flat bread. It was all delicious!
Another treat we had were sugar cubes flavored with saffron and cardamom. Oh my goodness, they were AMAZING. I ate a couple by themselves like candy. But I also used one in the hot tea she served when we arrived. So yummy!
And of course, we had a wonderful time discussing our book. It's been so fun to get to know the women in nearby neighborhoods. What a fun group! I encourage you to start your own book club with neighbors. We started our group on the NextDoor app--a bunch of total strangers who have become friends.
I can't wait to try making baghali polo myself! Have you ever had it?
www.missytippens.com
What a marvelous idea. I have never had Persian food. I am admitting to that failing but mostly because I rarely get out of the house to have a meal and isn't that a sad commentary??? I'm in a book club of delightfully older ladies and we do our meetings at local diners or restaurants because no one is pressured to put on the dog... except in the summer we do our picnic here on the farm. Missy, this looks wonderful and fun and kudos to you for finding a book club. What a great way to get to know people.
ReplyDeleteRuthy, we've been rotating having it in our homes from the start. But in the beginning, we served dessert Then one night, the hostess added a pot of vegetable soup. It was so nice because often we wouldn't have time for dinner beforehand. So we decided to start doing simple suppers. I did white chili in my Instant Pot the last time I had it here. Very simple! Sometimes ladies will bring some side dishes like a fruit tray. One lady is vegan so usually brings a dish that she can share with everyone, which is a big help to the hostess.
DeleteYou had me at "sliced potato "crust" on the bottom."
ReplyDeleteI used to belong to a book club when my daughters were young. We'd drink tea, eat scones, and talk books while the children played. I miss those ladies.
Mary Cate, that sounds so nice! You should round them up for a reunion if they live nearby.
DeleteUnfortunately, they don't. That's why I miss them.
DeleteI've never heard of this dish, but it sounds awesome. (And I don't even like Lima beans!)
ReplyDeleteYour book club sounds like a lot of fun! I've never been part of one...maybe it's my introvert tendencies?...but I can see how it would help you get to know your neighbors. That's a great idea!
Jan, some of the recipes I read for this dish said people who don't even like lima beans loved it. :)
DeleteYou know, when we started the book club, I was very nervous. But it's amazing how well we all get along. We've added members as we go, too. There are about 10-12 of us now. We have the best time. This week, we were very divided on who loved the book and who didn't. That made for some fun discussions! LOL
We are slowly trying new dishes. Someone (not me) likes different foods. So I am trying to be more open minded. I would love to know more about this next door app!
ReplyDeleteKatie, check out nextdoor.com and see if you can find a group near your new home. It's nice to have as a resource for recommendations (I've found a tree service company, pest control, and nail salon all from recommendations on the app). And people also warn when they see any suspicious activity in neighborhoods. Recently, someone asked if there are couples who would be interested in having brunch once a month on the weekend. So you can meet new friends there as well.
DeleteBy the way, you can use it on your computer or get the app on your phone. I just use my computer.
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