![]() Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, then fry the red onion over a low heat until dark and caramelised: this will take about half an hour. Add the lentils and drained chickpeas, stir until well coated, then add two litres of water and leave to simmer for 45 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for a minute or so more, then stir in the turmeric. Warm four tablespoons of the oil in a large pan on a medium-low heat, then fry the onion, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Why add a sprig when you can add a bunch? Bean, herb and pasta soup - ash reshtehĦ tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 tsp turmeric 100g lentils 400g dried chickpeas, soaked for at least 8 hours 1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 2 t sp dried mint A bunch each of parsley, mint and coriander 1 big handful chives 1 big handful spinach Salt 200g broken dried reshteh, tagliatelle, linguine or fettuccine Lemon juice, to serve (optional) Kashk, or Greek yoghurt or soured cream You could say dried mint is wise and experienced mint, a bit like the man who put a new bean soup on my list via a thought in a bubble. Having not understood or used it well in the past, I have always thought of it as a dusty shadow of fresh, when, in fact, it’s a concentrated reflection of it, warm and resinous and, because of the menthol, fresh. What is most revelatory about this soup, however, is not the mountain of fresh herbs, which is glorious, but the two teaspoons of dried mint. Each serving is finished with crisp fried red onion, mintand a spoonful of kashk (a form of drained whey), which can be substituted with Greek yoghurt or soured cream. Chefs and food writers from Saghar to Homa Partovi, who writes the richly useful Persian Mama blog, Samin Nosrat and Naz Deravian all confirm the beauty of not just a bunch, but bunches of herbs: parsley, mint, coriander, chives, and a squeaking handful of spinach, all minced into a mountain of green for this hearty bean and pasta soup.īoth the pasta (noodles) and herbs are thought to bring good luck, which is why ash reshteh is often served for Nowruz, the first day of the Persian New Year and spring equinox, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalises night and day. Saghar notes that, these days, the most famous noodle in Iran is reshteh, literally meaning thread or string, and its long, flat proportions are ideal for a hearty bean, herb and noodle soup called ash reshteh. Serve the couscous topped with the lamb and aubergine, and with extra za’atar, soft herbs, lemon wedges and a drizzle of yoghurt, if you have some to spare.Then, a few months ago, I was reading Saghar Setareh’s excellent Iranian-Italian cookbook Pomegranates & Artichokes, enjoying her mention of an ancient noodle called lakhsha, supposedly invented by the ruler of the Sasanian empire from 531 to 579, king Khosrow (much is attributed to Khosrow: bridges, roads, walls, books, palaces, so he was surely capable of a pasta shape, too). Flip and cook for another two minutes, or until charred but the meat is still pink, then leave to rest for a few minutes. Meanwhile, put two tablespoons of olive oil in a very large frying pan on a medium-high heat, then add the lamb and aubergine and sear without moving for five minutes. ![]() Cover and wait for a few minutes for the leaves to wilt. Stir in the shredded beetroot leaves, then dress with extra-virgin olive oil and season to taste. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes, until al dente. To make the couscous, put the maftoul in a pan with the chickpeas, the liquid from the tin and 25ml water. Add the chops and aubergine to the bowl, toss to coat, then cover and chill for at least four hours, and up to three days. In a large bowl, mix the yoghurt, za’atar, lemon zest and juice, and garlic, and season. Once marinated and grilled, both lamb and aubergine are beautifully encrusted in a flavoursome umami bomb of deliciousness created by the yoghurt.Ĥ tbsp yoghurt 1 tbsp zaatar Zest and juice of ½ lemon 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp black pepper 4 lamb chops 1 aubergine, cut lengthways into quarters 2 tbsp olive oilįor the couscous 100g maftoul (Palestinian hand-rolled couscous), or giant couscous 1 x 400g can chickpeas 100g beetroot leaves, or chard, shredded Extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing 1 pinch za’atar, to garnish 1 small bunch of soft herbs, leaves roughly chopped, stalks finely chopped – I used parsley, but coriander, mint and dill would also work, either on their own or in combination) 2 lemon wedges, to serve 2 tbsp yoghurt, to serve, optional I made this marinade in the yoghurt pot itself, at the same time cleaning down the sides and making the most of the last few scraps. Marinating meat in leftover yoghurt is a great example of how food scraps have the potential to elevate a meal.
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