Episode 106: Re-Beats: Persian Stew Khoresh

In light of the Zan, Zendegi, Azadi movement (Women, Life, Freedom) we are not broadcasting new content this week. Instead, we are “re-beating” an earlier episode about Khoresh (original 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 (khoresh or khoresht) 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 Gheymeh | Persian Split Pea Stew

Gheymeh 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?”

Recipe links from this episode:

Khoresh Gheymeh