Gormeh Sabzi (Persian Lamb and Herb Stew)

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Gormeh Sabzi (Persian Lamb and Herb Stew)

Gormeh Sabzi (Persian Lamb and Herb Stew) is a traditional Iranian recipe for a classic stew of lamb or beef and kidney beans cooked with herbs and dried limes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Iranian version of: Persian Lamb and Herb Stew (Gormeh Sabzi).

prep time

15 minutes

cook time

15 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Makes:

250ml (1 cup)

Rating:

Tags : Curry Herb Recipes Beef Recipes Lamb Recipes Bean Recipes Iran Recipes

Gormeh Sabzi or Khoresh sabzi (Persian: قورمه‌ سبزی; also spelled as qormeh sabzi) is an Iranian herb stew. Ghormeh is derived from Turkic kavurmak into Persian and means "braised," while sabzi is the Persian word for herbs. It ranks among the most essential Persian recipes. It is often considered to be the national dish of Iran and its rich, aromatic flavour is celebrated in Persian communities around the world. Consisting of flavourful herbs and lamb, ghormeh sabzi is a cornerstone of Persian cuisine. This classic Persian vegetarian stew is the antecedent of Indian sabzi/sabji dry curry dishes, which is why it’s included here amongst the curry recipes. Note that kidney beans come from the New World and would not have been available until after the Colombian Exchange. For a more historical version of this dish use dried chickpeas.

Ingredients:

100g (1 cup) dry kidney beans See the notes for using canned beans
4 bunches parsley
3 bunches coriander (cilantro) leaves
2 bunches chives
1 bunch fenugreek or 1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves
105ml (⅓ cup + 3 tbsp) vegetable oil
1 yellow onion diced
1.35kg (1 ½ lb) beef or lamb, cubed
1 tsp turmeric
1-1.25l (4-5 cups) water
4-5 Persian dried limes (Limoo amani)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Soak kidney beans in a bowl of water for 2-3 hours. Wash the parsley, coriander (cilantro), chives and fenugreek. Pat dry then chop very finely.

Place a dry pan over low heat and use to wilt the herbs for about 10 minutes, until they dry out a little. Add 80ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil and sauté gently for 15 more minutes over low heat. Take off the heat and set aside.

Heat the remaining 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the cubed beef (or lamb) and turmeric, continue cooking until they colour a light brown (about 6 minutes).

Add the water and bring to boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the ingredients simmer lightly. Rinse the kidney beans and add to the stew. Cover and cook for 30 minutes then add the fried herbs. Cover the pot and cook gently over low heat for 60-90 minutes.

Poke the Persian dried limes with a fork and add them to the stew. Adjust the seasoning salt and freshly-ground black pepper and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Serve accompanied by Persian Steamed White Rice.