Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

by SpiceRouteCooks
Prep: 30m
Cook: 2h
beef
Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew) - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:6
6tbspextra virgin olive oil
1onion
1garlic
1 1/2lbstewing beef
1tspground turmeric
1leek
1lbparsley
1/2lbcilantro
2tbspdried fenugreek leaves
5scallions
30ozred kidney beans
4dried limes
2limes
salt and pepper, to taste
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Start the aromatics

    Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the pressed or minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

  1. 2

    Brown the beef

    Cut the beef into 2-inch pieces, add it to the pot, and stir until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the turmeric and stir to coat the meat well. Pour in about 3 cups of water to just cover the beef, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid while you prepare the herbs.

  2. 3

    Fry the herbs

    This is the heart of the dish. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the finely sliced white part of the leek and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the finely chopped parsley and cilantro, the crushed dried fenugreek leaves, and the finely diced green scallion tops. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.

  3. 4

    Cook the herbs down

    Once the herbs wilt and shrink in volume, lower the heat to medium-low and keep stirring for another 15 minutes to dry them out and deepen the flavor. They should turn a dark, almost forest green with a toasty aroma. Remove from the heat and set aside.

  4. 5

    Bring it all together

    Add the fried herbs, the drained and rinsed kidney beans, the dried limes (poke each one a few times with a knife first so they release their sour tang), and 2 more cups of water to the beef pot. Raise the heat to bring the stew to a simmer, then lower it and cook low and slow until rich and dark, at least 1 hour 30 minutes. Longer is better.

  5. 6

    Season and serve

    Season with salt and pepper to taste and brighten it with the juice of the 2 fresh limes. Adjust the water as needed — the stew should be thick with herbs but still have some broth to spoon over rice. Serve hot over Persian rice.

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Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

Created by: SpiceRouteCooks

Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 2h
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 1 garlic
  • 1 1/2 lb stewing beef
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 leek
  • 1 lb parsley
  • 1/2 lb cilantro
  • 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • 5 scallions
  • 30 oz red kidney beans
  • 4 dried limes
  • 2 limes
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Start the aromaticsHeat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the pressed or minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  2. Brown the beefCut the beef into 2-inch pieces, add it to the pot, and stir until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the turmeric and stir to coat the meat well. Pour in about 3 cups of water to just cover the beef, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid while you prepare the herbs.
  3. Fry the herbsThis is the heart of the dish. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the finely sliced white part of the leek and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the finely chopped parsley and cilantro, the crushed dried fenugreek leaves, and the finely diced green scallion tops. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Cook the herbs downOnce the herbs wilt and shrink in volume, lower the heat to medium-low and keep stirring for another 15 minutes to dry them out and deepen the flavor. They should turn a dark, almost forest green with a toasty aroma. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  5. Bring it all togetherAdd the fried herbs, the drained and rinsed kidney beans, the dried limes (poke each one a few times with a knife first so they release their sour tang), and 2 more cups of water to the beef pot. Raise the heat to bring the stew to a simmer, then lower it and cook low and slow until rich and dark, at least 1 hour 30 minutes. Longer is better.
  6. Season and serveSeason with salt and pepper to taste and brighten it with the juice of the 2 fresh limes. Adjust the water as needed — the stew should be thick with herbs but still have some broth to spoon over rice. Serve hot over Persian rice.

Notes & Tips

This is basically Iran's national dish, and once you smell those herbs frying down you'll understand why. The magic is in two places: the mountain of parsley, cilantro, and dried fenugreek leaves that you cook until dark and intense, and the dried limes (limoo omani) that give it that unmistakable sour, funky depth. Both are easy finds at any Middle Eastern market. No dried limes? Stir in extra fresh lime juice at the end — you'll lose some of that fermented tang, but it still sings. Don't rush the long simmer; that's what turns a pot of herbs and beef into something soulful.