Crispy Rice With Dill and Runny Eggs

by becky
Created
Imported from cooking.nytimes.com

This one-skillet meal has crisp and herbaceous rice, creamy lima beans and pockets of jammy egg yolk. Its inspiration comes from baghali polo, a traditional Persian rice dish that is often served at Nowruz alongside braised or barbecued meat. In it, fava beans steam with rice, dill and spices, then sometimes the bottom is crisped tahdig-style. In this complete one-pan meal, the rice and lima beans are steamed and crisped in a skillet, then eggs are nestled right into the rice to cook. Lima beans are buttery like fava beans, though you could use another bean or even a vegetable (see Tip). A punchy topping, like feta or lemon, rounds out the meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice (no need to rinse)
  • 1 1/2 cups/8 ounces frozen lima beans (no need to thaw); see Tip
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried dill)
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 4 large eggs
  • Crushed pitted green olives, sliced pickled pepperoncini peppers, crumbled feta and/or lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet, stir together 1 3/4 cups water with the rice, lima beans, half the dill, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover tightly with a lid, sheet pan or foil, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender, about 17 minutes.
  2. Uncover and stir with a fork. (If using a lima bean alternative, stir it into the rice now.) Spread the rice in an even layer, then make four divots. (You’ll add your eggs to them in Step 3.) Now crisp the rice: Pour the oil down the sides of the pan and into the divots, increase heat to medium and cook until the rice is golden brown at the edges, 2 to 5 minutes. If you don’t see oil bubbling at the edges, drizzle in a little more oil.
  3. Crack the eggs into the divots, cover the pan and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup dill and, if using, olives, peppers, feta and/or a squeeze of lemon.