Delicious Iranian stew. Depending on how much spice you want to add, it may be hot. This Persian beef stew only requires a small amount of preparation, particularly if you omit the potatoes, but it should take many hours to boil.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 2 hrs 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 30 mins |
| Servings: | 3 |
| Yield: | 3 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ¾ pound beef stew meat, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup dried split peas
- 2 dried Persian limes
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch curry powder, or to taste
- 1 pinch ground turmeric, or to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
- water as needed
- oil for frying
- ½ pound potatoes, peeled
Instructions
- Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stew meat, split peas, limes, tomato paste, salt, curry powder, turmeric, and pepper. Add just enough water to fully cover the surface of the mixture. Cover and simmer until split peas are tender and meat is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 2 to 3 hours.
- Just before the stew is ready, heat 2 inches oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Slice potatoes into 2-inch long, thin pieces and lower carefully into the hot oil in batches. Fry until soft, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Increase the heat so the oil is 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Fry potatoes again, until golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove from the oil and drain on fresh paper towels.
- Pour stew into bowls and place potatoes on the surface.
- The dried lime isn’t a regular lime, but a special Iranian lime that, so far as I know, has no English name. Ask for it in the nearest Persian mart or just add lemon juice instead.
- Use ground red pepper for black pepper, if desired. You can use the packed French fry-like potatoes found in some stores to save time.
- We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. Amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 722 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 61 g |
| Cholesterol | 63 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 21 g |
| Protein | 37 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Sodium | 905 mg |
| Sugars | 8 g |
| Fat | 38 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |