persiancook

Here goes. It is popular with all of my friends, regardless of nationality. "Khoresht" is our version of a curry; a dish with legumes and/or vegetables and meat. We always serve it with rice. "Ghimeh" means minced, and refers to the small cubes of meat in the dish. The recipe is actually very simple. It may look difficult at a glance, but that is only due to the fact that I tried to include every detail. I have found the best results by using a slow cooker or Le Creuset dutch oven. It is an ideal dish for a big dinner party, as it does not require close supervision, and can be prepared in advance. You can also alter the meat to legume ratio to make it more economical. Substituting TVP for the meat will give you a very nice vegetarian version. Khoreshteh ghimeh (Persian split-pea stew) -------------------------------------------------- Serves 6-8 1 medium onion, diced 2 Tbsp. canola or mild olive oil (more if you can afford the calories) 1 lb. boneless beef or lamb (more authentic), all fat removed, cut into 0.5 inch cubes 1.5 Tbsp. Iranian meat spice (or 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground coriander, pinch of grated nutmeg)* 1 tsp. turmeric 1 bay leaf Generous sprinkling of black pepper Pinch of cayenne ** 1 in. piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated** 1 clove garlic, minced** 2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice (lime is more authentic) 1.25 c. yellow split peas (chana dal), rinsed, DO NOT SOAK THEM*** 3-4 black limes (leemoo ammani), rinsed 2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice (optional) Pinch of saffron, ground and soaked in 1 Tbsp. boiling water (optional) 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, seeded, and diced 1 potato, julienned (optional garnish) 1. Brown the onions in oil until they turn a deep golden color. Add the meat and all spices, except for ginger. Brown the meat well, then add ginger and garlic and brown for another minute. Add the lime juice and enough water to cover the meat by two inches, bring to a boil, then simmer until the meat is fork tender. The only essential ingredients in this step are the meat and onions; the spices can be omitted to taste. 2. Add the split peas, and continue simmering until they are tender, but still maintain their shape. Overcooking them will really ruin the dish. 3. Poke several holes in the black limes, and drop them into the pot. If you like your food sour, add the extra lemon juice. I would omit it the first time around until you find out how you like the dried limes. 4. Add salt to taste. 5. Add the saffron, tomato paste, and tomatoes, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. You may need to simmer the dish uncovered if it has too much liquid at this stage. The ideal consistency is that of a thick curry. 6. If desired, fry the potatoes, season them with salt and pepper, and use as a garnish. 7. Serve over steamed basmati rice (garnished with butter and saffron). Slow cooker variation: Transfer the meat to a slow cooker after browning, add the lemon juice and enough water to cover by an inch, and cook on high until fork tender. Every other step is the same, but the final simmer will be longer. Variation: add fried eggplant slices during step 5. * I get mine from Iran, but this seems to be an equivalent: http://sadaf.com/store/product56.html You can also substitute a mild curry powder. **You will rarely see these ingredients in an authentic khoresht. My husband is Pakistani, and I found them to be a great addition. *** I have had much better luck with chana dal from an Indian or Iranian store. The ones sold by regular supermarkets cook to quickly and turn to mush. For this dish, you need the slow cooking variety that keeps its shape, for example: http://sadaf.com/store/product255.html

I usually poke holes in the limes with a fork instead of grinding them to a powder. The powder gives a dark tint to the sauce, which I would rather avoid. The whole limes make for a more dramatic presentation as well, and allow each diner to choose the sourness level. We also use them in another Persian stew (khoreshsteh ghimeh) which is made with beef or lamb, yellow split peas, and tomatoes. I would be happy to send you a simple recipe.

The fish is usually fried. We rarely grill at home in Iran, and ovens are a relatively recent addition to Iranian kitchens, so very few of our traditional dishes are baked. Mahi sefeed from the Caspian is definitely the preferred fish, but it is expensive and out of reach for most families. Any white-fleshed fish will do. I would not have a problem serving salmon or a non-white fish either, as the dish is supposed to be "sabzi polo va mahi," where the "mahi" can be any fish. I am always delighted to see others interested in Persian cuisine. I would be happy to share recipes with you.

I would not use celery leaves. We do have a similar dish made of celery, parsley, and beef or lamb cubes (khoreshteh karafs), but it has an entirely different flavor. You can chop the fenugreek leaves, lightly fry them for a minute or two, then freeze them with no ill effects. I usually use the dried fenugreek leaves, and add them during the last couple of minutes of browning the meat. You need to be careful, as frying the fenugreek too long will make it bitter.

Thanks everyone. I do have a samovar, and a slow cooker. I am new to this site and intimidated by all the professionals here, so I was wary of the sophisticated equipment that might be needed. The tea I tried had chopped apricots, golden raisins, pistachios, and almonds. It qualified as a full dessert rather than just tea.

I have had this chai in Pakistani restaurants. It is a beautiful dusty pink color, and is very rich, with dried fruit and nuts stewed in milk. It is very different from the usual spice chai. I have heard that it is brewed (or almost stewed) over a long period, up to 24 hours. I would appreciate a recipe that can be made in a home kitchen that lacks specialized equipment. I do have a Le Creuset saucepan that I suspect will be perfect.

I would say that the most common Norouz dinner is "sabzi polo va mahi," which is herbed rice with fish (usually white-fleshed). This is the traditional dinner in Tehran, but has spread to other regions as well. In Shiraz, "shirin polo" (sweet rice) is usually served with chicken. The side dishes vary by family, but the main course of rice and fish is very traditional. This year, I made dill rice with trout. The commercially available "sabziye polo" (rice herbs) mix made by Sadaf is nice, but I was out of it, so I used dried dill only. In my experience, dried herbs spread more uniformly in the rice than minced fresh herbs, and hence give a more attractive appearance. I brought Basmati rice to a boil in cold water with a pinch of turmeric added for color. Once the rice was al-dente, I drained it, mixed in the dried herbs, and steamed it for about 10 minutes. I garnished it with saffron and melted butter.