Persian Stews | Khoresh

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 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