Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Beef Stew with Herbs and Dried Lime)
Ghormeh Sabzi is a popular Persian stew featuring tender beef, fresh herbs, and dried lime, best served with rice.
Equipment
- Large pot
- large frying pan
Ingredients
Cooking Fat
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
Vegetables
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 garlic clove pressed or minced (optional)
- 1 small leek white part finely sliced
- 5 scallions green parts only, finely diced
- 2 limes juiced
Meat
- 1.5 pounds stewing beef cut into 2-inch pieces
Spices and Herbs
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 pound fresh parsley finely chopped
- 0.5 pound cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves crushed
- 4 dried limes poked several times with knife
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Beans
- 2 cans red kidney beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
Cooking Instructions
- In a large pot on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When shimmering, add the onion and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, if using, and stir until fragrant.
- Add the beef and stir until browned, about 10 minutes. Add turmeric and stir to coat, then add three cups of water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cover while preparing the herbs.
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil. When shimmering, add leek and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add parsley, cilantro, fenugreek, and scallions and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Once the herbs have wilted and reduced in volume, reduce heat to medium-low. Stir for 15 minutes to dry out the herbs, then remove from heat.
- To the pot with beef, add fried herbs, kidney beans, dried limes, and two cups of water. Increase heat to bring to a simmer, then lower heat to cook for a minimum of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste. Add more water if required; the stew should be thick with herbs but with some broth.
- Ladle the stew into a serving dish and serve.
Notes
Serve this stew with Persian Rice and a simple salad of tomatoes and cucumbers dressed with lime juice and olive oil. A side of Greek yogurt complements this dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 362.3kcalCarbohydrates: 34.4gProtein: 31.1gFat: 12.2gSaturated Fat: 2.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 52.7mgSodium: 99.1mgPotassium: 1266mgFiber: 11.7gSugar: 2.6gVitamin A: 6958.3IUVitamin C: 93.2mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 9.5mg
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