In Episode #8, co-hosts Bita and Beata talk about their favorite Persian stews which are served with rice - what’s in them, how to prepare them, short-cuts (Beats Cheats) and favorites.
What is Persian Stew and is it really a stew?
More of a hearty sauce made with delicious braised meat, vegetables, herbs, nuts, beans, and/or legumes served over a mound of rice.
Khoresh Ghemeh | Persian Split Pea Stew
- Ghemeh in English means to shop into small pieces (usually when referring to meat)
- Split Peas in Farsi are called ‘lapeh’
- Ingredients in Persian Yellow Split Pea stew: meat of choice (traditionally beef or lamb), yellow split peas, tomato paste, limou amoni (sour dried lime) topped with French fries!
- Beats Cheats: using store-bought French fries, shoestring potatoes, or potato wedges cooked in the air fryer as the topping; using ketchup substituted for tomato paste
Khoresh Bademjoon (Bademjan) | Persian Eggplant Stew
- Strategies for cooking it - frying, broiling, air frying, or simmering the eggplant
- Ingredients: meat of choice, eggplants, ‘ghoreh’ - unripe grapes
What to cook Khoresh in - a shallow pot or flat, deep pan with a lid, an Instant Pot, or a pressure cooker
Khoresh Bamieh | Okra Stew
- Cheat: use frozen okra
Herb based Stews: Karafs and Ghormeh Sabzi
Khoresh Karafs | Persian Celery Stew
- Ingredients: celery, mint, parsley, and meat of choice (in some regions tomato paste)
Ghormeh Sabzi
- Ingredients - braised meat, loads of herbs, kidney beans, and Limoo Omani
- Cheat: use pre-packaged dried or frozen mixed herbs (found at Middle Eastern or Persian Markets with the label, Ghormeh Sabzi)
- Variations - regional variations, try with blackeyed peas
Fessenjoon (Fessenjan) | Persian Walnut Pomegranate Stew
- A fan favorite made with ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and chicken or duck.
- Rich, delicious and sweetly tart. Looks like mole sauce can be shades of tan through dark brownish-red in color.
Ask the Beats! Today’s question is from Ray from San Francisco. Ray asks, “Is Persian foods spicy?” - answer, no, not in a ‘heat’, burning way. It is mildly spiced with interesting spices but not ‘hot-spicy’.
Recipe links from this episode:
Khoresh Ghemeh
Khoresh Bademjoon
- Beata’s recipe: Persian Vegetarian Eggplant Stew – Khoreshteh Bademjan
Khoresh Karafs
- Bita’s recipe: Persian Celery Stew | Khoresh Karafs
- Beata’s recipe: Khoreshteh Karafs Celery and Herb Beef Stew
Khoresh Fessenjoon
- Beata’s recipe: Walnut and Pomegranate Stew – Khoreshteh Fessenjoon
Podcast production by Alvarez Audio