Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmatio rice

350 gm green broad beans (podded, washed, drained)

4-6 spring onions (trimmed, washed, sliced with good green stems)

3 tbsp dill leaves (chopped)

corn oil

Salt + 7 spices

Method: 

Wash rice several times under running tap water, until water comes out clear. Soak in slightly salted water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook broad beans in boiling water; only for five minutes. Strain and blanch in ice cold water; to cease the cooking process. Strain and leave aside. Rinse rice well under running tap water. Strain. Heat a large cooking pan over high heat. Add oil and lower heat to medium. Stir in onion until translucent. Add salt and seven spices. Stir until fragrant. Add rice. Stir to combine. Add two and a half cups of hot boiling water to rice. Bring to a boil. When almost absorbed; place pan, covered, over very low heat and on top of a simmering ring. Ten minutes later, fluff rice with a cooking fork, whilst adding the broad beans and dill; stirring them gently within the rice to mix and incorporate. Cover back and continue cooking for an extra 30-40 minutes. Remove pan away from heat. Do not disturb rice for at least 10 - 15 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork then serve. 

NB.: Beans are off season these days but they are sold frozen in hyper markets.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 18 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly