Ghormeh sabzi recipe

Persian herb stew whose colour and depth come from frying parsley, cilantro and leek for half an hour before the long simmer with dried limes.

15 hours and 55 minutesmedium12 ingredients

Ingredients

• 300 g parsley
• 200 g cilantro
• 100 g leeks
• 3 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
• 4 dried limes
• 600 g lamb shoulder
• 200 g red kidney beans
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

How to make Ghormeh sabzi

1. Soak 200 g of red kidney beans overnight. Soak 4 dried limes in warm water for 2 hours, rinsing twice to take the bitterness out, then prick each one with a fork.
2. Wash and chop 300 g of parsley, 100 g of cilantro and 100 g of leeks very finely, then dry them well.
3. Fry 1 chopped onion in 100 ml of oil until golden, stir in 1 tsp of turmeric, then brown 600 g of cubed lamb shoulder on all sides.
4. In a separate pan heat 100 ml of oil and fry the herbs over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until they darken to a near-black green and smell nutty. This is the dish; skip it and you get herb soup.
5. Add 3 tbsp of dried fenugreek leaves for the last 2 minutes only, they scorch and turn bitter fast.
6. Tip the fried herbs into the meat pot with the drained beans and the dried limes.
7. Cover with 1.2 L of water, add 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper, bring to a boil then drop to the barest simmer.
8. Simmer covered for 2.5 to 3 hours, until dark green oil rises to the surface and the beans are soft.
9. Press the limes against the side of the pot to release their juice, adjust the salt and serve with steamed rice.

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