Bring 6 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Add the rice and cook for about 5 minutes before adding the fava beans. Continue to boil for an additional 5 minutes until the beans and rice have slightly softened.
Strain the rice and beans, and rinse with cool water.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked rice and beans with the remainder of the ingredients.
Mix well with your hands until you have a reasonably smooth texture with some elements of beans and rice still visible.
Divide the meatballs into 6 equal pieces and form each piece into a smooth round meatball. These are large meatballs!
Set aside.
Broth
Select a pot large enough for the 6 large meatballs to get cooked in a single layer.
In this pan, saute the onions with olive oil for 10 minutes on medium high heat.
Add the spices, stir and continue to saute for about 2 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, stir and bring back to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stove top cooking (option 1)
Gently place the meatballs in the pot one at a time, taking extra care to not disturb the meatballs too much.
Using a spoon, splash some of the sauce over the meatballs.
Bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer and continue to cook on medium heat, uncovered for 30 minutes.
Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook for another 40-45 minutes. Be sure to splash more of the sauce over the meatballs a couple of times during this cooking process.
During this time the broth will reduce and become more flavorful. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
Turn the heat off and allow the meatballs to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Oven baking (option 2)
Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
Select an oven-safe pyrex dish that can fit the large meatballs and lightly brush with olive oil.
Gently place the meatballs in the pan and lightly brush each meatball with more olive oil.
Place the tray in the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes to help the meatballs lightly brown and keep their shape.
Slowly pour the broth over the meatballs and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Splash some of the broth over the meatballs before tightly sealing the pan with a piece of foil. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Serving
Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Serve the meatballs with Persian flat breads, and a side of yogurt and Torshi (Persian pickled vegetables).
Notes
The meat can be completely eliminated to create a vegetarian meatballs. Increase the rice flour and add an additional egg to help with the binding.