Persian delicacies is legendary for its sluggish cooked meat braises. For hundreds of years, braises have been an integral and expansive class of dishes inside the Persian cookery panorama. The Persian phrase for a meat braise is khoresh (additionally referred to as khoresht). There’s a variety of Persian meat braises incorporating several types of meat, greens, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, and legumes, in addition to some requiring short-lived seasonal components, and there are additionally many regional specialties.
Khoresh-é-ghormeh-sabzi, or just ghormeh-sabzi, is essentially the most well-known and well-liked Persian meat braise. Some check with it because the nationwide khoresh of Iran. Though a bit time consuming, it’s a comparatively easy dish to make. Chunks of browned lamb or beef and fragrant onions and turmeric are first gently braised, then a pan-fried combination of a number of finely chopped herbs is added to the pot together with kidney beans and complete Persian dried limes, and the light cooking continues. The result’s tender chunks of meat in a luscious, thick sea of deep inexperienced herbs dotted with pink kidney beans and softened brown Persian dried limes. The dish is historically served with rice and typically with tadigh.
Due to Iranian-American NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ghormeh sabzi gained latest fame as the primary conventional Persian dish ever served in house throughout a NASA mission. In February 2024, towards the top of her 199-day keep aboard the Worldwide House Station, Moghbeli served and shared the long-lasting dish along with her six fellow crewmates. She then posted the next message on her social media: “This weekend, I shared one among my favourite Persian dishes with my #Exp70 crewmates—ghormeh-sabzi! After all, we ate it within the conventional method with rice. Nonetheless, sadly, there was no tadigh.”
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
There are two components which might be important for a profitable ghormeh-sabzi. This dish is just not the identical with out fenugreek leaves. By themselves, fenugreek leaves are barely bitter, however as soon as cooked together with different aromatics and herbs, they tackle a refined bitter-sweet taste and a delightful and distinctive aroma that fills your entire home. The second key component of this dish is dried Persian limes, often called Limoo-Omāni. They add a singular musty (in a great way!), aged sourness to the dish. Fortunately, each of those two key components are comparatively simple to acquire in North America and Europe.
The Etymology and Historical past of Khoresh-e-Ghormeh-Sabzi
The Persian phrase for any meat braise is khoresh aka khoresht. The precise identify of this explicit khoresh is a compound phrase, ghormeh-sabzi. The phrase ghormeh—a borrowed phrase from Ottoman Turkish language—has been current within the Persian culinary vocabulary for hundreds of years. It used to check with an early meat preservation approach by which deboned chunks of meat, after having been partially cooked in slightly salted water, had been positioned in goatskin sacks or in clay vessels stuffed with animal fats. Later the time period was used to check with roasting small chunks of meat. Such preserved or roasted meat was then used as an ingredient in varied dishes. The culinary which means of the phrase sabzi is inexperienced herbs. Placing all of it collectively, khoresh-é-ghormeh-sabzi, or just ghormeh-sabzi, refers to a meat braise with inexperienced herbs.
Though there are anecdotal references to ghormeh-sabzi having been round for hundreds of years, it’s extra probably that the dish is just a few hundred years outdated. The earliest identified documented recipes for this dish are in a couple of surviving Persian cookbooks printed roughly between 1835 and 1883.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
Key Substances in Khoresh-e-Ghormeh-Sabzi
Persian Dried Limes
Persian dried lime, often known as Limoo-Omani, are Persian limes (Citrus × latifolia) which have gone by a easy preservation and drying course of. Entire recent limes are briefly blanched in a salt brine resolution earlier than being laid out to dry within the solar for a number of weeks. Regardless of its simplicity, the method of drying limes below the solar causes the limes to bear a fancy transformation: The dehydration of limes allows the inside tissue to ferment, yielding a fancy and distinctive taste profile characterised by a nice bitter and citrusy taste together with an aged, earthy, umami taste.
Dried limes had been first developed in Oman, therefore their Persian identify Limoo-Omani (limoo is the Persian phrase each for limes and lemons). Whereas dried limes are used for cooking in several international locations of the Persian Gulf area, they’re primarily recognized with Persian delicacies. Within the Center East, it is common so as to add complete limes to soups and stews. Not like the fast acidic kick of recent limes, the advanced flavors of dried lime have to be unveiled. The dried limes are sometimes pricked a couple of occasions after which tossed into the pot. Because the cooking liquid penetrates the limes, they communicate a refreshing tartness and an intriguing depth of taste to the dish.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
You can find complete dried limes as small as a chestnut and as massive as an apricot. In addition they are available in a spread of colours from mild brown to blackish brown—for this dish, I want the lighter coloured ones, which have a extra delicate sourness. Dried limes are additionally out there in floor type, which is usually used as a condiment and sprinkled on cooked and uncooked dishes proper earlier than they’re served.
Though complete dried limes have gotten increasingly well-liked within the West, and also you may discover them in some well-stocked supermarkets, they’re all the time available in brick-and-mortar Center Jap, Mediterranean, Indian, and Turkish markets. They’re additionally out there by a number of trusted mail-order and on-line retailers focusing on Persian components, together with Kalamala Persian Grocery, Sadaf, Persian Basket, and Tavazo. They can be ordered from spice homes similar to Penzeys, Kalustyan’s, and The Spice Home–and naturally on Amazon.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual plant. Its leaves include three obovate leaflets (teardrop-shaped with stems hooked up to the tapering finish). Its leaves (recent or dried) have been used as an herb and its seeds as a spice since historic occasions.
Recent fenugreek leaves are barely bitter, however as soon as cooked, they tackle a refined bittersweet taste and a uniquely pleasing aroma that fills the kitchen—usually lingering for days. It’s the herb that defines not solely this dish but in addition essentially the most well-known egg-centric Persian dish, kookoo-sabzi.
Recent fenugreek turns into out there for a brief interval between late spring and midsummer. It is extremely tough to seek out recent fenugreek in North America or Europe. Some specialty Persian, Afghani, or Indian markets might carry it throughout its brief rising season. Nonetheless, virtually talking, all Persian dwelling cooks use dried crushed fenugreek leaves for this dish, and so must you.
It’s a highly effective dried herb, so a small quantity goes a great distance. Dried crushed fenugreek leaves are available nowadays within the spice part of many properly stocked supermarkets, in addition to in the identical sources listed above for dried Persian lime. Please be aware that this dish makes use of fenugreek leaves, not fenugreek seeds, which is a well-liked spice in Indian cookery.
Different Inexperienced herbs
Along with fenugreek leaves, this dish makes use of a considerable amount of a number of different recent inexperienced herbs, together with flat leaf parsley, cilantro (coriander), and a few number of leeks or chives. Though most Persian dwelling cooks use dried crushed fenugreek leaves, they often attempt to use recent variations of the opposite herbs. Flat leaf parsley and cilantro are usually out there in North American and European supermarkets yr round.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
Almost about leeks or chives, the popular selection is recent Persian leeks (Allium ampeloprasum ssp. persicum), which are sometimes out there yr spherical in specialty Persian, Afghani, and Center Jap markets. For those who do not need entry to such specialty markets, you possibly can simply substitute an equal quantity (in weight) of chives, or inexperienced components of scallions, or the center third part of normal widespread leeks. The quantities of herbs wanted proven within the record of components is the burden of the leaves and most tender and brief stems after the longer and difficult stems have been eliminated.
The Meat
Ghormeh-sabzi is usually made with both lamb or beef. Between lamb and beef, if in case you have the choice, I like to recommend lamb. The perfect cuts of lamb for Persian-style braising are more durable cuts like leg, shoulder, neck, and shank. My on a regular basis go-to reduce for braising is leg of lamb. It’s a hardworking muscle that has sufficient collagen (intramuscular fats and connective tissue) that breaks down throughout a moist, lengthy, sluggish cooking course of, making a texture that’s spoon tender. For those who determine to go along with beef, the perfect cuts of beef for braising embody chuck, bone-in brief rib, shanks, and as a deal with, oxtail.
Learn how to Serve Khoresh-e-Ghomeh-Sabzi
As soon as prepared, khoresh-e-ghormeh-sabzi is often transferred to a big serving dish and served family-style. Like virtually all different Persian khoreshes, khoresh-e-ghormeh-sabzi is greatest served as a important dish with Persian steamed white rice (chelow), together with a couple of items of Persian crunchy rice (tahdig). Alternatively, it may be accompanied by quite a lot of Persian flatbreads (e.g., lavāsh, sangak, tāftoon, babari) or one other kind of flat bread similar to pita.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
When served as a part of an entire meal, a facet of Persian Shirāzi salad (chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and pink onions), Persian māst-o-khiār (chopped or grated cucumber, yogurt, crushed dried mint leaves), and/or the ever present Persian plate of recent herbs referred to as sabzi-khordan (any mixture of recent mint, tarragon, basil, watercress, scallion, radish) is customary, however not needed.
This Comforting Persian Stew Is the Treatment-All for Your Winter Blues
Prepare dinner Mode
(Maintain display awake)
-
1 cup dried pink kidney beans (about 6 ounces; 170g) (see be aware beneath about utilizing canned beans)
-
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity, divided
-
6 bigger or 8 smaller complete dried limes(whole weight about 1 ounces; 28g)
-
1/2 cup (120ml) olive oil or ghee, divided
-
2 kilos (907g) boneless leg of lamb, lamb shoulder, neck or shank, or stewing beef similar to beef chuck, brief ribs, or oxtail, reduce in 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks
-
1/2 teaspoons freshly floor black pepper
-
1 medium white or yellow onion (about 8 ounces; 226g), peeled and reduce into 1/4-inch cube
-
1 teaspoon floor turmeric
-
4 1/2 ounces (125g) recent cilantro leaves and tender stems (see notes)
-
4 1/2 ounces (125g) recent parsley leaves and tender stems (see notes)
-
4 1/2 ounces (125g) recent Persian leekschives, inexperienced components of scallions, or the center third part of widespread leeks
-
1 tablespoon crushed dried fenugreek
-
In a medium bowl, soak pink kidney beans in room temperature water to cowl by 1-inch with 1 teaspoon of salt for at the very least half-hour or till prepared to make use of.
Critical Eats / Liz Voltz
-
In a separate medium bowl, soak complete Persian dry limes in room temperature water for half-hour or till prepared to make use of; place a plate on high of bowl to make sure limes are submerged.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
Season meat throughout with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a big Dutch oven or pot, warmth 2 tablespoons oil or ghee over medium-high warmth till shimmering. Add seasoned meat to the saucepan in a single layer. Prepare dinner, turning often till meat is properly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, switch meat to a plate and put aside.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
Decrease warmth to medium, and as soon as rendered fats in pan is shimmering, add onions and prepare dinner till translucent and edges have turned golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon turmeric over the sautéed onions, stir completely and prepare dinner till aromatic, about 30 seconds.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the saucepan, convey to boil, whereas scraping the underside of the saucepan to unencumber all brown bits left.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
Add seared meat. Stir to combine, return to boil, then cut back warmth to medium low to take care of a simmer; cowl and prepare dinner for half-hour.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
In the meantime, put together the herbs. Wash all recent herbs and leeks or chives properly. Unfold over a clear kitchen towel and gently roll to take away extra water. Alternatively, use a salad spinner to attain the identical outcomes.
Critical Eats / Amanda Suarez
-
Harvest the leaves and most tender stems from the bundles of parsley and coriander. (If you want, save the scraps and longer powerful stems for different functions similar to making broth.) Chop all recent herbs (together with chives or leeks) as finely as you possibly can. The finer you chop them the extra luscious the ghormeh-sabzi can be. Be happy to make use of a meals processor to cut the herbs. Nonetheless by no means chop the chives or leeks within the meals processor by themselves—in the event you do, they may flip into an disagreeable mushy mess. Both combine them with the parsley and coriander to be chopped within the meals processor or just chop them individually the great quaint method with a pointy knife on a slicing board.
-
After the meat has cooked for half-hour, drain the kidney beans and add to the pot, stir to mix and canopy. Modify the warmth so the content material of the pot is simmering gently. Prepare dinner for an additional half-hour.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
In the meantime, in a big frying pan, warmth 1/4 cup ghee or oil over medium-high warmth till shimmering. Cut back warmth to medium. Add half of the chopped herb combination. Fastidiously stir to combine properly with oil. Prepare dinner till properly coated and starting to prepare dinner down, a few minute. Add the remainder of the chopped parsley-cilantro-leek combination. Prepare dinner, stirring usually till cooked down for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with crushed dried fenugreek leaves. Proceed cooking, stirring usually, till the herbs are very wilted and are a darkish inexperienced coloration however not burned, about 10 extra minutes. The herbs are prepared once they really feel a bit dry however when pressed with the again of a spoon exude shiny shiny inexperienced oil, and you’ll scent a powerful savory aroma. It is a essential step that would take 20 to 25 minutes whole. Be affected person.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
Drain complete Persian dried limes with a pointy instrument, similar to a tine of a fork or tip of a pointy knife) make 6 or 7 small holes within the outer pores and skin of every lime.
-
After the meat has cooked for 1 hour, add the fried herbs and the pierced dried limes to the meat and gently stir. Cowl and modify warmth as wanted to take care of a mild simmer and prepare dinner, gently stirring each 20 minutes till the meat and beans are tender and the stew is thickened, 60 to 80 minutes.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
By this time, the entire Persian dry limes needs to be fairly comfortable, plump, and juicy–stuffed with tangy, sourish, earthy liquid. With a slotted spoon or small strainer, raise one of many complete Persian dry limes and really gently press down on it with the again of a fork with out breaking the outside pores and skin, letting a few of the inside liquid drip into the stew. Repeat with one other 3 or 4 of the limes. Gently swirl the pot. Style. For those who can’t sense sufficient of the tangy, sourish, earthy taste of the limes, repeat with the remainder of the limes. It’s OK if the outside pores and skin of the limes breaks on this course of—simply don’t let the seeds get into the stew as they’re a bit bitter if chewed.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
-
When prepared, ghormeh-sabzi needs to be fairly thick, be a really darkish inexperienced coloration with pink kidney beans, chunks of tender meat, and the limes poking out of the ocean of the inexperienced herbs, tasting noticeably tangy, with the distinctive aroma of cooked fenugreek having crammed the kitchen. Season to style with salt as wanted and serve.
Critical Eats / Nader Mehravari
Particular Gear
Massive Dutch oven or pot, massive sautée pan
Notes
Chances are you’ll substitute canned beans for the dried beans. Since they’re precooked, they don’t want as a lot cooking time within the braise liquid. Merely add the cup of canned beans over the last half-hour of cooking.
Some Persian, Afghani, and Center Jap specialty markets additionally carry each frozen and dry pre-mixed Ghormeh-Sabzi herb mixtures.
Make-Forward and Storage
There are two elements of ghormeh-sabzi that contribute to its barely prolonged preparation time: the cooking of the meat and the preparation of the herbs. Steps 3-7 of the recipe can simply be carried out a day or two forward of time. Retailer the ensuing partially cooked meat in an hermetic container within the fridge. Steps 8 and 10 can be carried out a day or two forward of time. Retailer the totally fried herb combination in an hermetic container within the fridge.
Like many different Persian khoreshes, ghormeh-sabzi might be made a day or two forward of time so long as it’s reheated gently. In truth, many Persian dwelling cooks (together with myself) consider that it tastes higher on the second day.
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as per week. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
For longer storage, freeze the ghormeh-sabzi in an hermetic container for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating gently on the stovetop.
Trending Merchandise

BAYOBID Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set | 24 Pieces Cooking Utensils Set | Perfect Metal Kitchen Utensils set…

mafiti Oil Dispenser Bottle 180ml/6Oz Olive Oil Dispenser Sprayer for Cooking Air fryer BBQ Grilling Salad Baking…

URASISTO 19-Piece Home Tool Kit Hand Tool Set with Easy Carrying Pouch Perfect for DIY, Home Maintenance

Veluebay Kitchen Utensils Set, 12 Pcs Non-Stick wooden utensils for cooking, kitchen utensils set with holder, silicone…

Kitchen Gizmo Snap N Strain Pot Strainer and Pasta Strainer – Adjustable Silicone Clip On Strainer for Pots, Pans, and…

Garlic Press, Upgrade Garlic Mincer Stainless Steel Garlic Press Rocker, Professional Kitchen Gadget with Ergonomic…
