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Persian Beef, Herb and Kidney Bean Stew
This classic Persian stew, called ghormeh sabzi, often is regarded as Iran's national dish. Dried limes and an assortment of fresh herbs that are fried give the sauce a unique flavor and an unusual deep-green hue. In our simplified version, we streamlined the method and used easier-to-source ingredients, including opting for canned beans. If you prefer, use an equal amount of boneless lamb shoulderin place of the beef. Serve with plenty of steamed basmati rice and a cucumber-tomato salad.
4
Servings
Tip
Don't discard the bean liquid when draining the cans. Using it instead of water or broth adds both body and depth of flavor. If you accidentally throw it out, substitute an equal amount of chicken broth or vegetable broth, or even water, though the stew will have a thinner consistency.
FAST: 1¼ hours
Slow: 7-8 hours
20 minutes active
Ingredients
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1
bunch cilantro leaves and tender stems (4 cups lightly packed)
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½
bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems (2 cups lightly packed)
Directions
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01In a food processor, combine the cilantro, parsley and scallion greens. Pulse until finely chopped, about 10 pulses. Set aside. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select Normal/Medium Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in half the chopped herbs and cook, stirring, until wilted and the color is no longer vibrant green, about 2 minutes. Add the lime zest and juice, turmeric, beef, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ cup of the reserved bean liquid. Stir, loosening any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, then distribute in an even layer.
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July 10, 2022
This is not the “best”, but it introduces you to the idea
I made this a few months ago and thought it was okay. Nothing great; I enjoyed the herby and vegetal notes but otherwise it was bland. Last night, I decided on a whim to look up the original Persian stew this is based on. Turns out, I have Omani black lime, turmeric, and fenugreek to make the authentic dish. Following NYT and Bon Appetit, I worked out a recipe for what I had and it was orders of magnitude better than this. I know Milk Street was trying to make this accessible, but the subtle spices make the dish.
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Limoo amani (dried lime), typically used in ghormeh sabzi, imparts a very distinct flavor. If you can find it in local middle eastern stores, I highly recommend piercing one or two dried limes with a knife, and adding them to the stew.