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Modern Persian Food

Modern Persian Food

November 25, 2020 · 2 Comments

Episode 8: Persian Stews | Khoresh

Episodes 1-100· Uncategorized

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

  • Bita’s Persian Yellow Split Pea Stew | Khoresh Ghemeh

Khoresh Bademjoon

  • Beata’s recipe: Persian Vegetarian Eggplant Stew – Khoreshteh BademjanKhoresh 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

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  1. Episode 50: The Golden Episode says:
    September 15, 2021 at 2:23 pm

    […] Episode 8: Persian Stews | Khoresh […]

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  2. Episode 69: Khoresh Karafs says:
    January 26, 2022 at 4:22 pm

    […] Link to Episode 8: Persian Stews | Khoresh […]

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