Minoo’s Recipe For ‘Khoresht-e-aloo va esfenaj’

‘Khoresht-e-aloo va esfenaj’ or Persian spinach and dried plum stew is another popular dish in the Beech household. This recipe should serve 4-5 people.

Ingredients

• 750 g lamb chopped into cubes
• 750 g fresh spinach
• 2 chopped large onions
• 12-15 dried plums
• Salt
• 1 ½ cups of split peas
• 3-4 cups of water

Instructions

1. Boil split peas separately until almost soft
2. Fry the lamb, onions and dried plums in a medium pan over a moderate heat until they turn golden-brown, adding salt to taste.
3. Add 3-4 cups of water, add split peas, put lid on pan and simmer for c. 25 minutes
4. Add spinach and simmer for a further 15 minutes
5. Serve with Persian-style white rice

Minoo’s Recipe For ‘Khoresht-e-Fesenjan’

 

‘Khoresht-e-Fesenjan’ is a kind of pomegranate-flavoured Persian stew made with poultry, or occasionally with meatballs. Depending on the taste of the cook it can be a sweet or sour dish. My wife Minoo usually makes it medium-sweet. In the amounts indicated the recipe serves about four people. 

 Ingredients

Pomegranate juice (3 cups) or pomegranate paste if you can get it from your local Iranian shop (3-4 tablespoons)

1 kg Chicken thighs (duck is also used in Iran)

Ground walnuts (350 grams)

3 chopped onions (medium)

Sugar (2 spoons)

Half a cup of cooking oil

Salt to taste

 Instructions

1. Peel onions and chop finely
2. Remove skin from chicken thighs
3. Add salt and fry chicken thighs and onions in oil until golden brown
4. Add 3 cups of water and bring to boil
5. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes adding more (boiling) water if required
6. Add ground walnuts and pomegranate juice or paste
7. (If you are using pomegranate paste, add 1-2 more cups of boiling water and bring to boil again)
8. Simmer the ‘Khoresht-e-Fesenjan’ until the oil in the walnuts separates and the mixture has the texture of thin porridge
9. Taste the mixture- if it seems sour add sugar to taste
10. ‘Khoresht-e-Fesenjan’ should be served hot with white rice.

Minoo’s Recipe For ‘Khoresht-e-Karafs’

Our eight-year old daughter is a big fan of her mum’s ’Khoresht-e-Karafs’ which is a kind of Persian stew with celery.

Ingredients

2 bunches of celery

1 kilo of boneless stewing lamb or beef (lamb is best)

1 large onion-finely chopped

Cooking oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

1.5 measures water

1/2 measure dried limes (or lime juice)

Salt and Black pepper (to taste)

1 measure chopped mint and parsley

Instructions

Cut fat off the meat and chop into cubes. Cut celery into c. 1 inch lengths and fry until slightly softened. Fry the onions and meat over a medium heat in cooking oil until they turn golden-brown, adding the turmeric and salt and pepper (to taste).  Put in the chopped mint and parsley and fry for a few more minutes stirring all the while. Turn down the heat. Add water, celery and dried limes. Put on the lid and simmer gently until meat is tender (for about an hour to an hour and a half). To be be served with white rice.