Māsh Polō-ye Zāhedānī [Mung Bean Rice | vegan]

Mung Bean Rice from Zahedan | vegan

Origin: Regional Specialty (Shargh)

While green mung beans (māsh) have been grown across the Iranian plateau for centuries, they're mostly featured in South and East Asian cooking today, making this southeastern pilaf a unique regional dish. My sister-in-law first had this recipe in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan province near the Pakistani border. It quickly became a staple for us thanks to how well the nutty mung beans pair with fresh dill, garlic, and caramelized onions (pīyāz dāgh), all steamed over a crispy potato tahdīg.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus 8-12 hours soaking)
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes