Khoresh-e Qarch (Iranian Mushroom Braise)

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I didn’t grow up eating khoresh-e qarch but I love anything with mushrooms so I had to try this. Adapted from a Najmieh Batmanglij recipe, this khoresh is super savory, thanks not only to the musrhooms but the the slow-and-low browning and braising of lots of onions and chicken. Serve this with basmati rice and fresh herbs on the side for a comforting meal.

Ingredients:

2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into one-inch cubes
5 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound cremini mushrooms, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
1 egg, beaten

1. In a dutch oven, brown onions, garlic, and chicken in 3 tablespoons oil. Add salt and pepper. Pour in 1/2 cup water, cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Slice mushrooms and sprinkle with flour and saute in 2 tablespoons oil.

3. Add mushrooms, lime juice, and saffron water to the meat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes over low heat.

4. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning. Add beaten egg. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat, gently stirring.

5. Serve warm with basmati rice.

Ghaliyeh Kadoo (Iranian Simmered Zucchini)

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Ghalieh kadoo is one of those dishes whose sum is greater than its parts. This Iranian garlicy stewed zucchini never comes out 100% like my maman’s (does anything ever come out like our mamans’?) but it’s delicious nonetheless. Serve it with flatbread, or eat it plain like I do, because it’s really that good.

Ghaliyeh kadoo

Ingredients:

10 zucchini, diced
Salt
1 head garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons turmeric
Pepper

1. Salt the zucchini in a colander for a couple of hours to release excess liquid.

2. In a saucepan, lightly sauté the garlic in the olive oil until just starting to turn golden. Add the turmeric, then add the zucchini. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until reduced, about 20 minutes.

3. Add pepper to taste, cover, and simmer on low, stirring every once in a while for another 10 minutes, adding a bit of water if needed to keep from scorching. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Eggplant, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad

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This Middle Eastern-inspired salad is peak summer: buttery eggplant, juicy tomatoes, and crispy cucumber are bound by a cooling and tangy yogurt dressing. The best part? It’s so much easier to make than it looks.

Eggplant, tomato, and cucumber salad

Ingredients:

2 Japanese eggplant, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cucumber, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons Greek or Middle Eastern-style yogurt
Salt
Pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the broiler: brush the eggplant slices with the vegetable oil and cook over high heat, turning once, until golden and tender. Cut slices in half.

2. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Add the warm eggplant, mix, and chill for at least 1 hour. Add the cucumber and tomatoes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the yogurt on top and garnish with parsley.

Chickpea Shami with Lime and Saffron Glaze

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Shami is kotlet’s cousin: an Iranian meat patty that’s delicious on its own or with bread, comfort food that comes in all sorts of variations. My mom makes these the traditional and labor-intensive way with braised and shredded lamb shank combined with yellow split peas. When it comes to Iranian food, I’m nowhere near as good a cook as her, but my version, albeit easier and not the same, still hit the spot.

Chickpea shami with lime and saffron glaze

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, lamb or turkey
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots, peeled and grated
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup chickpea powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

1. Place the lamb in a large mixing bowl. In a food processor, place the onion, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and turmeric, and pulse until you have a grainy paste. Transfer to the mixing bowl, add the chickpea flour, and knead with your hands until all of it has been absorbed. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat until hot. Shape the lamb mixture into 3 inch-patties, gently poking a hole in the middle of each. Place the patties in the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.

3. To make the glaze, in a small bowl, combine the water, sugar, lime juice, saffron mixture, and remaining salt in a small bowl. Pour the glaze over the patties in the pan once they have cooked through. Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce has been absorbed. Serve warm or at room temperature on their own, or with flatbread, fresh herbs, and yogurt.

Iranian Herb, Kidney Bean, and Lamb Braise (Khoresh-e Ghormeh Sabzi)

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Is there any dish as beloved by Iranians as this green braise of herbs, dried limes, and lamb? (Okay, maybe chelo kabab). Ghormeh sabzi is nearly everyone’s favorite #uglydelicious khoresh, and for good reason. All fenugreek all day every day.

Some cooks like to grind their dried limes, but I usually leave them whole for this dish. It’s just personal preference.

Khoresh-e ghormeh sabzi (Iranian herb, kidney bean, and lamb braise)

Ingredients:

For the lamb:
2 tablespoons oil or ghee
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2 or 3-inch pieces
3/4 cup kidney beans, soaked in water overnight, drained and rinsed
6 dried Persian limes, pierced

For the herbs:
2 tablespoons oil or ghee
3 cups finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped green onions or Persian chives (tareh)
1 bunch spinach, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried fenugreek leaves or 1 cup chopped fresh fenugreek

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1. To cook the lamb: Heat oil in a large laminated cast-iron pot over medium heat and saute the onions and garlic until lightly golden. Add salt, pepper, and turmeric and saute for 1 minute. Add the lamb and saute for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

2. Add the kidney beans and dried limes and saute for 1 minute. Pour in 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Prepare the herbs: In a wide skillet, heat oil over medium heat and saute the parsley, green onions, spinach, and fenugreek for 20 minutes, stirring until the aroma of the herbs rises. Be very careful to not burn the herbs.

4. Add sauteed herbs and lime juice to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Check to see if meat and beans are tender. Adjust seasoning if needed by adding more salt or lime juice to taste. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. Serve with steamed basmati rice.